Culpa Bestiae
by Alatum Laminis
Summary: Kiba and Cheza have been reincarnated time and time again. Always, they traveled with wolves to find Paradise. But this time is different. Two other animals have been chosen, and they are not wolves. One fights her feelings. The other tries to escape his past. Will this new pack, smaller than the previous ones, open Paradise? Kiba/Cheza, Myu/OC.
1. Prologue

**As you all may have noticed, I have deleted my original story on this archive due to lack of motivation to continue. There were hardly any new plot events. Most of what I had came from the actual anime. **

**Therefore, I am starting over with a somewhat original idea, but I will still be using the prologue from **_**Beast's Paradise, **_**as well as Anorak Myth's idea about Kiba and Cheza's reincarnation. Other ideas that have been brought over are Gideon the wolverine and Myu the caracal. **

**Unfortunately, Tsume, Hige, Blue, and Toboe are not going to appear. Kiba and Cheza will retain their memories, Gideon will be as badass as possible, and Myu will hopefully have more speaking roles. **

**So, with that in mind, please enjoy my attempt at redemption. **

_They say that there's no such place…as Paradise. _

A large white wolf wandered through the snow. He was bleeding heavily in many places. By all rights, he should have been dead by now from shock and blood loss. But still, he kept going, wandering, waiting for his time of death.

_Even if you search to the ends of the earth, there's nothing there. It's just the same road, one that just goes on and on. But in spite of that…why am I so driven to find it? _

The wolf finally collapsed in the snow. The plant stalk that he carried in his mouth finally dropped. His yellow eyes closed, and he lost consciousness.

As he lay, the snow began to melt. The layer of ice underneath was doing the same. Slowly, both wolf and plant sank down into the deep sea beneath.

_There are voices calling out to me. One in particular outshines all. It's female…and it's one that I've heard in all the lifetimes that I've had to search…searching for Paradise. Her lilting voice is beautiful, yet it is also lamenting. We have failed again, she says. _

Under the sea, the wolf opened his eyes. The sun is shining above the surface of the water. He saw the plant stalk drift towards him, eventually settling on his chest fur. In his last moments, the wolf saw an image of a sweet-looking, pink-haired girl with her arms around him. She was crying, and her face was buried in his fur.

_Yes, Cheza,_ he thought. _We have failed again. _

The wolf felt himself losing consciousness again as he sank deeper and deeper. Life is slow to go in this way…but it does not matter to the wolf. He has already died many times.

The wolf blacked out as he sinks slowly down, and he never opened his eyes again.

**Yeah, that's done. This was like the only good part of my story. Nonetheless, please review.**


	2. Scent

**Another thing that will be used is the introduction of Myu and Gideon, pretty much because it actually is an original idea. As I write this story, I hope that you will all send your thoughts and enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. I am considered by some to be a near-masterful writer, however I will not consider myself such until I am much older and I have gotten the most people as possible to read and enjoy my work. **

**Sorry for rambling, and enjoy the chapter! Also, I don't own **_**Wolf's Rain**_**, therefore I do not own Kiba, Myu, or Cheza. I do own Gideon, though.**

A boy and a girl were wandering through the streets of Sylvanite City. Both of them looked about 16 or 17 years old. The boy had black eyes and hair and was wearing a dark blue undershirt, a black jacket, and jeans. The girl had reddish-orange hair, violet eyes, yellow shirt, and jeans. They continued walking, unaware of the large amount of boys watching them in the shadows of alleys and in the buildings above them.

"We got 'em," one of them rasped, aiming a gun at the boy's head.

"That girlie's gonna be great. Oh, the things I'm gonna do to her…" another said, licking his lips.

The boy with the gun fired, and the gang members expected to hear a cry out and a body falling to the ground. But there was nothing. When they looked again, they were shocked to see that the boy and the girl had disappeared.

"What the hell…?" the one with the gun asked. Then he heard a scream. The one who was dreaming about the things he would do to the girl was finding himself in a real bind—literally. The girl had grabbed him and forced him into a chokehold. With a sickening crack, she broke his neck.

"Peter! Are you…aaaah!" The gunman screamed as the boy impaled him in the chest with his hand. He fell, shrieking in pain. The other gang members quickly leapt into action, firing their guns and whipping out their knives.

They were too slow. Their targets broke every hand, crushed every weapon, and killed every gangster. The smarter among them realized that they were not human, and tried to flee, but the male target was merciless. Before they could get far enough away, he hunted them down and killed them.

"Humans…" the boy growled after cutting down another gangster. "They make me sick…" Suddenly, he heard a cry of pain from the female. "Myu!" he shouted before heading back to her. He reached her to find that she had already killed the one who hurt by crushing his neck. The boy noticed that she was clutching her arm. "Are you right, Myu? What happened?"

Myu shook her head. "That gunman you hit somehow managed to get one last shot at my arm, Gideon. The bullet's not in there, though. It'll heal in a few days or so," she said.

Gideon frowned. "It won't if it gets infected. There's a damn hole in your arm," he muttered. He took out a roll of gauze from his pocket. "It's a good thing I found this. Here." He tightly bound the wound, making Myu wince in pain, but she knew that it was necessary.

Gideon finished binding the wound and put the gauze back in his pocket. He gently pulled Myu up and allowed her to lean on him. Myu insisted that she could walk, but Gideon wouldn't hear of it. They were four-legged creatures, after all. If one arm was hurt in human form, the corresponding leg on the animal form would be injured as well. Gideon wouldn't let her walk on her own until he was sure that the bleeding had stopped.

The humans were correct when they judged that Gideon and Myu were not human. In fact, they were animals that had the ability to appear as humans, although the animals in the city could see them for what they really were. Gideon was a wolverine, a powerful and tenacious carnivore, while Myu was a caracal, a graceful yet deadly feline. Despite their natural abilities and instincts as ambush predators, both Gideon and Myu's species had been forced to adapt to the changing world, and over the course of many generations, had developed strong legs built for long chases as well as ambush. That trait was present in both Myu and Gideon.

The two considered themselves to be the last of their kind. They were well aware of the situation of the world. Almost all the carnivorous creatures had gone extinct, even those that had learned to take human form. Gideon, the one who was more aware of the status of the creatures, was certain that out of all of them, the wolves were probably the most successful. Although both he and Myu felt a bit of jealousy at them, they also had a grudging respect for them as well, Myu more so than Gideon.

If anything, the humans were the ones to blame for all these problems. They had gone overboard with wars and pollution, and because of this, the world was in a near-apocalyptic state. The hatred that the two felt for humans was evident when they had gone on that killing spree. In fact, under normal circumstances, they would have avoided Sylvanite City by a radius of several miles.

But these were not normal circumstances. Both Gideon and Myu could smell the scent of something that had not been detected by either of them in a long time. It was the scent of flowers. The impact was amazing. The scent was much stronger than even the sweetest flowers that Gideon and Myu had ever smelled in their short lifetimes. Because of this, both animals found themselves drawn towards the heart of the city, and no matter how much they wanted to get away from the stink, they found that they couldn't leave. The strange thing was, it seemed to be because they didn't want to leave.

Therefore, the two animals continued on, unaware that another was following the same scent.

_Meanwhile…_

As Gideon and Myu headed towards the scent of flowers, a boy about the age of their human forms entered Sylvanite City, also drawn by the sweet scent. However, it meant so much more to him than it did for Gideon or Myu. The instant he smelled it, his heart raced, and it seemed that his feet couldn't move fast enough, even in his wolf form.

Yes, he was another creature who, just like Gideon and Myu, learned to take human form. He was a wolf, and one who was very well aware of what his target was. Unlike Gideon and Myu, he knew what the scent was. It was the scent of lunar flowers, a scent that he had longed to smell ever since he was reborn.

In human form, he had dark hair, ice-blue eyes, jeans, a white undershirt, Converse sneakers, and a dark green jacket. As a wolf, his fur was of the purest white. He was Kiba, the white wolf that was protected by the flower.

As he trekked through the city, he came across another, more gruesome scent. It was the smell of fresh human blood. Normally, it wouldn't have mattered to him, but the intensity of the scent definitely caught his attention. It wasn't long before he came across the source.

Human bodies littered the alley. Some were dumped over trashcans, others carelessly strung on overhangs and rooftops. Most were put against the wall, sitting down. The ones that were sitting down would have looked like they were sleeping if it hadn't been for the blood. Kiba saw that the blood was still flowing, and it was the wounds that caught the wolf's attention.

They were not dealt by human hands, that much was certain. There may have been some humans in the world that were strong enough to impale another through the victim's chest, but the human would have to be freakishly big, and therefore would have to leave a huge hole. Besides, no human could kill another with such perfectly aligned precision as to leave three straight lines across the chest. They were most definitely claw marks, upon closer inspection.

Then, Kiba caught other scents. They were faint, but still intact. Both were the scents of animals other than wolves. One seemed rather familiar, but the other was foreign.

_What animals would even have the motivation to cause a massacre like this?_ Kiba did have a few questions, but there was no time to wonder. He had to find the source of that scent. He was sure of it. Cheza was here. And he had to find her.

The white wolf left the killing grounds and headed towards the largest building in the city. Coincidentally, the wolverine and the caracal were walking in the same direction.

_Later…_

Kiba was within sight of the large building. However, before he could fully reach the front door, two others made their appearance. Kiba quickly recognized one of them.

"Myu?" he whispered. He watched the two animals walk up to the guards. The humans didn't seem to know who they were addressing. Kiba was watching from a good distance away, and even he could see that the soldiers were being rude. Still, after a shared conversation, Myu and the other animal walked away from the building, and towards him.

As they neared him, they stopped. "You can come out now, wolf," the other animal said. Kiba hesitated, but the rudeness of the guards had apparently sharpened the animal's temper. "Hurry up! Or do I have to drag you out?"

Kiba stepped out, and Myu's eyes widened in recognition. "Kiba!" she exclaimed. The animal beside her glanced at her before turning his eyes back to Kiba.

"Kiba, is it? How long have you been watching?" he asked.

Kiba smirked. "Long enough to know that you were turned away by the guards," he said.

The animal shrugged. "Well, it's not like that's going to stop me," he said.

"What are you, anyway? I've never seen an animal like you," Kiba asked.

The animal shrugged. "My name is Gideon. I am a wolverine. Even before the world started getting messed up due to the humans, my kind was exceedingly rare. I can blame part of that to you wolves," Gideon said. Kiba took a small fighting stance. "However, I don't really give a damn either way. We both know what we came here for. That scent. What is it?"

"It's the scent that will lead him to Paradise," Myu whispered.

Gideon smiled. "Ah, yes. Paradise. The wolves I've met talked about something like that. The utopia that only wolves can open when the world is coming to an end. I always thought that it was a story. Now, I wouldn't mind if it was true," he said.

"It is. All wolves believe in Paradise. It's what sets us apart from other creatures," Kiba said. Then he got down to business. "So what are you two doing here? And together, of all things. From what I've heard, your kinds are solitary creatures."

Myu smiled sadly. "Things have changed in this world, Kiba. Wolverines and caracals are ambush predators. However, many of the weaker animals have died out already. Both of us have inherited a random mutation in our families that allowed our legs to go through long chases as well as ambushes. Once, it probably wouldn't have been necessary. But now, we'll need all the help we can get," she explained.

"And as for what we're doing here, we were following a sweet scent. Something like flowers, but no flower I've ever smelled before," Gideon said.

"They are lunar flowers. The source of the scent is what I'm after. Her name is Cheza. She's a flower maiden, and the one that will lead me to Paradise," Kiba said.

"A flower maiden…you mean to tell me that there's a human that smells like flowers in there because she was MADE out of them?" Gideon asked incredulously. Kiba nodded. "All right, then. I was hoping that we would avoid this until tonight, but we don't have a choice."

"What are you going to do?" Kiba asked.

"Force a way in. If you don't want to save this flower maiden of yours, then whatever. But if you do, then follow me," Gideon said. Kiba and Myu looked at each other as he walked off. Myu gave him a small smile, and then she followed the wolverine. Kiba sighed, joining them.

"I thought I told you that only authorized personnel are allowed beyond this point," a guard said when the group walked up to him and his partner.

"Yeah, and that we would call for backup if there was any trouble," the second guard said.

"Do you think I care?" Gideon asked.

"Last warning. If you don't give us what we came here for, we're going to take it," Kiba threatened.

"You're not getting past us! And even if you do, there's a whole bunch of others guarding the place! There's no way you—" The guard was quickly cut off as Gideon punched him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. A few more quick jabs followed.

"Hey! Why you…" The second guard was cut off as well when Kiba whipped his fist into the human's cheek. His head snapped to the side before he collapsed. After a few seconds of groaning, wheezing, and holding his stomach, the first guard went down as well.

"Are you sure that you wanted to avoid that situation?" Myu questioned Gideon.

Gideon smiled sheepishly. "Okay, maybe I was hoping for that…but just a little, mind you!" he said.

Myu giggled. "Come now. We both know of your violent nature," she teased.

"If you guys are done flirting, we have to move on," Kiba said, walking ahead.

"We were not flirting," Gideon growled.

Kiba sent a mocking smirk back at the wolverine. "I highly doubt that," he chuckled, before moving on.

"How is it that you know him?" Gideon asked Myu.

Myu looked away, blushing. "We met once. But that was a long time ago…" she murmured, before following Kiba through the building. Gideon shrugged and trailed behind.

**And I end this now. Hopefully, this will be more successful than my prologue. I assume that the lack of views was because it has already been seen. But I can assure you, this new story will be original. Whether or not I consider it a success depends entirely on you readers. **

**So send your thoughts, or at least read the story. And if you have the time, leave a comment. **

**Farewell for now. **


	3. Choice

**Yeah, I know that you guys probably think very little of me after deleting and reloading my story so many times, but bear with me. I'll try to make up for that by updating as frequently as possible. But since I have another project going on, don't get too excited. **

**Oh, and I almost forgot to do the disclaimer. It will be the same for all the chapters, so I'm not doing it again. I own nothing except for Gideon and the plot. **

**Okay, now enjoy.**

Kiba was currently leading Myu and Gideon through the laboratory building. Gideon wasn't very happy about letting the wolf lead, but he really had no choice; the canines held the title of being the best trackers within the animal world. Besides, he knew where his nose was leading him—Gideon didn't, especially with all the human scents.

"Don't you think it might have been a better idea to leap through the ceiling beams rather than just walking through this hallway? We stand out too much," Myu asked.

"If that's your problem, then knock out a few humans and take their clothes for all I care," Kiba replied.

"We look just like humans, and they can't see through our disguises, nor can they smell us. The only problem is the clothes. In huge buildings like these, they usually wear long white coats," Gideon said.

Kiba and Myu looked at him. "How do you know this?" Kiba asked.

Gideon shrugged. "A rescue mission. I had to break into quite a few of these buildings to rescue some of my animal friends that the humans had captured. They never turned out well, though." He muttered the last bit to himself.

Kiba was a bit suspicious, but he pushed it to the back of his mind as he realized that the flower scent was getting stronger. It wasn't long before they found out the source, as well as the reason that the humans hadn't found them even after they had wandered around for so long. It wasn't because they were lucky.

A huge number of humans lay unconscious in front of them. It was a trail, and it led up to an open steel door. The trio glanced at each other and dropped their human images. Then, with their hackles raised, legs poised to spring, and teeth bared, they slinked forward, their feet hardly making a sound.

However, someone appeared at the door. A tall human with dark hair and a dark blue duster coat came out. He had a small pinkish-white wolf tucked under his arm. His most surprising, feature, though, was his right eye. It was that of a wolf; yellow within black.

"_Darcia?"_ Kiba thought. Then he shook his head. _"No. Darcia's wolf eye was on the left. This guy is different." _And then he realized it. Cheza's scent was coming from the wolf. _"Cheza? You're a wolf?" _

He was so deep in thought that he didn't realize that Gideon was tensing up to the point where he quivered with rage until Myu spoke up. "Gideon? What's wrong?" she asked. Kiba turned to him, and what he saw surprised him. Gideon's normally calm face was contorted with rage; there was fire in his eyes, and his claws were gripping the ground to the point where they made indentations in the ground.

"Gideon…" Kiba warned, sensing his companion's anger.

"Bellicus…" Gideon growled, his teeth seething. His claws clenched. Kiba looked back at the human, who had stopped and was now looking around. Kiba stiffened. Soft as the growl was, the human had heard it. However, Gideon didn't care. "BELLICUS!" he roared, leaping out from the corner and rushing at the human.

The human reeled back as the furious wolverine leapt at him, but he didn't drop the sweet-smelling wolf. "A wolverine. What business do you have with me?" he asked as Gideon crouched in front of him.

"Lord Bellicus. My name is Gideon. You killed my family. Prepare to die!" Gideon roared, his human image appearing for a moment to speak the words before reverting back into the powerful dark creature.

Bellicus drew a sword and slashed at the animal, fending him off momentarily. Then, Myu leapt onto his back, her fangs reaching for his neck. Quickly, the noble slammed his back into the wall several times, crushing Myu with his weight. She dropped to the ground, unconscious.

"You bastard!" Gideon's hackles were raised to the point where he seemed to be double his original size. He lunged forward, this time striking with his claws. Bellicus dodged each strike. No matter how fast Gideon was, he ducked or sidestepped each slash.

"You are blinded by your rage, little kit. I remember you. If I recall correctly, you were the one that killed your own family. Your ferocious face when you fought, and then that anguished face when you realized what you did. Those emotions…made you a useless pet," Bellicus said, grinning wickedly as he ducked under Gideon's attacks and slashed him in the stomach. Gideon gasped. Although the wound was not deep, the shock and pain was a little much. He fell to his knees.

"You controlled me. You tricked me. You took everything that I valued, and crushed it all!" Gideon snarled, struggling to his feet.

"I was merely the catalyst. I gave you power. You were the one who could not control it. It was all your fault," Bellicus said. Gideon snarled again and was about to spring again.

"Gideon!" Gideon heard but didn't acknowledge Kiba as he stepped out from the corner, although he did not spring. Still, he glared at the noble with eyes filled with hate.

"The white wolf. The one prophesized to open Paradise. I assume that you are after her?" Bellicus held up the small wolf. "Cheza is mine. They stole her from my family, so I am taking her back. Is that such a crime?" The two males restored their human images, and stood side by side.

"Let her go," Kiba said, carefully controlling his growing rage.

"Or else what?" Bellicus asked.

"It doesn't matter. Leave them out of this. Drop the wolf and prepare yourself. Your fight is with me!" Gideon roared, about to drop his image and attack again, but this time, Kiba put a strong, restraining hand on his shoulder.

"Calm yourself. You can't beat him with rage and hate," Kiba said.

"What do you expect, then? You have no idea what he's done to me!" Gideon shouted.

"I have reasons to kill him as well. That wolf's eye…it mocks me. It mocks all I stand for. And it brings up bad memories. But I'm not going to attack until he drops Cheza," Kiba growled. He glared at Bellicus. "You heard me. Let her go."

"I've wasted enough time here," Bellicus said, leaping high over the two animals and dashing off.

"Get back here!" Gideon shouted.

"Tend to Myu!" Kiba ordered, before dashing after Bellicus.

Gideon froze. Myu? He had all but forgotten about her. She was lying on the ground, still unconscious.

He walked over to the one who had stuck by his side ever since he had found her. Although they didn't know much about the other, Myu had a need for companionship, as she was still barely out of kittenhood when he found her, just as he was hardly out of kithood at the time. Both of them didn't know how to be solitary yet. The only difference was that he was forced to mature much more quickly, while she still acted just like a child, although she was just as efficient at killing and hunting as he was.

Even when he tried to drive her away, she followed him no matter what. Eventually, he gave in to her stubbornness, and the two became friends and traveling companions. Now, as he looked down at the caracal, he questioned why he had let her stay. He was a monster. She would find out soon, but Gideon hoped that the day that she did was far away.

_Meanwhile…_

"I expected the wolverine to follow me. But you are too late, white wolf," Bellicus said as Kiba stared him down in his wolf form. His ship was rising behind him.

"You will not take Cheza. I won't let you," Kiba growled.

"Is that so? And what makes you think that you can stop me?" Bellicus asked.

"I've died so many times, and been brought back just as often. In each lifetime, Cheza was by my side. I've seen her ripped from my grasp, lost her so many times…I even gave up my pack mates for her. I will not lose her again. Not now…or ever!" Kiba shouted, rushing forward.

Although Kiba was faster than Gideon while running, he wasn't as muscled or as strong. Bellicus fended him off with very little effort. However, his drive to protect Cheza kept him going, and that was what got the noble surprised.

"She means so much to you. Perhaps I should kill her right before your eyes…?" Bellicus mocked as he fended off Kiba once more, hiding his surprise. Then he held up Cheza by the throat, squeezing slightly. The small wolf abruptly woke up from the lack of breath, and she immediately began struggling.

"Cheza!" Kiba shouted. Her face moved towards Kiba, and her red eyes widened.

"Ki…ba…" she managed to choke out.

The white wolf obviously could not bear to see his beloved flower maiden like this, so he attacked once more. However, Bellicus raised his hand, and the ship fired a huge sonic wave that stunned Kiba long enough for Bellicus to throw Cheza into his ship. The noble followed soon after. "Cheza!" Kiba cried.

"If you want to find her, then find me, wolf. I will be waiting," Bellicus's voice echoed down as the ship took off. Kiba watched helplessly as the ship flew off.

"Kiba!" Gideon and Myu appeared on the roof. "Where is he?! Where is that bastard?!" Gideon snapped, looking around wildly.

"He's gone. And he took Cheza," Kiba said, gritting his teeth. "Forget what I said about finding a peaceful way to deal with him, Gideon. He has crossed the line."

"Does she really mean that much to you?" Myu asked.

"I have died and brought back to life so many times to find and open Paradise. Each time, she was by my side. I've seen her ripped from my grasp, seen her die. And each time, I failed to open paradise. I will not let her go again," Kiba said.

"I'll help you get her back," Myu said. The others looked at her. "Paradise is the only hope that the world has, even if most of the inhabitants don't even know about it," she said. _"Besides,"_ she silently added to herself, _"I would follow you anywhere."_

Gideon let out a deep breath. "If she's following you, then I don't have a choice. Someone has to look after her, and sorry, but I don't exactly trust you just yet," he said.

"I will not ask you to trust me. I will ask you to come with us. You can decide whether or not you trust me as we go," Kiba said.

"If I help you, then I'll get to fight Bellicus. If I fight Bellicus, I might die, but my spirit will shine. The past is the past," Gideon said. _"But my past is the thing that I've been running away from all this time. Can I really face it?" _he thought. Then he snapped out of his thoughts. "Besides, I know where to start looking, although I promised my self that I would never go back there."

"Where?" Kiba asked.

"The House of Bellicus owns many mansions, but it all centers around a main one that the Lord of the House lives. I know where it is," Gideon said.

"How do you know that?" Kiba asked.

"It was my home for a time…no, to be more precise, it was my birthplace. I spent my first year living under the shadow of that house," Gideon said.

**And that's it. Please leave a comment below.**


	4. Past

**No comments so far, and very little views. How saddening. Am I doing something wrong? **

The trio of animals was pushing forward with all speed. Myu and Gideon were quite fast; they were going at a speed that a normal member of their kind could only reach while sprinting, and they were maintaining this speed for long distances. Still, Kiba was even faster. As a wolf, his legs were longer than that of the wolverines and the caracals. Gideon and Myu could only keep pace with him.

Kiba was deep in thought. Why was Cheza a wolf? Did something happen during the process of resurrection, or did the humans create her like that? Perhaps her spirit entered the body of a wolf after death—after all, she only existed as a human because humans created her as such. Despite his misgivings like this, Kiba felt a strange sense of gladness. Change was good. It meant something would happen differently this time.

Then his thoughts strayed to Gideon. Although he had little doubts about Myu's personality and intentions, Gideon was an enigma to him. What was the history between him and Lord Bellicus? Why did Gideon seem so enraged during their fight? Kiba suspected that the reason that Gideon left the Bellicus household was because of the lord.

Kiba was taken out of his thoughts by a scent; the scent of fresh meat. Behind him, Gideon and Myu also caught the scent. Red deer. Their mouths watered. The idea of fresh meat after the city's crap…the thought was very tantalizing.

It was a few minutes before they saw the herbivore herd over a hill. It was not really a herd, actually. An old buck, a big young buck, two does, and a fawn. They were downwind from the deer, so the herd couldn't detect their scent.

"Which one do we go after?" Gideon whispered.

"Doe have the best meat. That young buck could be a problem, though. Besides, there's no telling what the doe would do to protect that baby," Myu said.

"The old buck, then? We'd be killing off the weak one. Besides, that fawn is too well protected, while the old buck is on the outside. It's probably our best option," Kiba suggested.

"Very well. I'll move upwind to them while you guys spread out a bit more. They'll smell my scent, and bolt. With any luck, one of the deer will run towards one of you guys," Gideon said.

Myu looked at him. "Are you serious? That's reckless!" she gasped.

Gideon smiled. "Don't worry about it. I know what I'm doing," he said. Without another word, he slinked down and around the hill, slowly moving upwind to the deer while keeping out of their direct line of sight.

"We don't have a choice if we want meat. Besides, I want to see whether or not he's trustworthy," Kiba said. Myu gave him a reproachful glare before moving away from him, following Gideon's plan. Kiba did the same, and the two rubbed themselves in the dirt to stay better hidden. Before long, the deer caught Gideon's scent, and bolted towards them. The old buck, slower than the rest, was lagging behind. It soon realized that it couldn't follow the herd up the hill, and went in the direction that Gideon went down; a path that would take longer, but not as steep as the rest of the herd's.

Suddenly, Gideon sprang out of hiding from behind a clump of bushes. Snarling, he leapt onto the buck, his weight keeping the buck from putting up a large struggle for a few seconds. Before he could sink his teeth into the buck's neck, though, the buck used its last ounce of strength to throw Gideon off. As he was flung away, Gideon managed to tear off a piece of meat from the buck's haunches, but it wasn't big enough to draw an amount of blood immense enough to make the buck die from blood loss very quickly.

The buck ran as fast as it could towards the path it chose. However, Myu had already taken action, and came at the buck from the front. While normally a reckless assault even for a carnivore, the buck couldn't react as Myu sunk her teeth into the bottom of its neck. The buck screamed, confused at the sight of the two carnivores. Why would a wolverine and a caracal work together? The buck whipped its head downwards, throwing Myu to the ground. However, her bite, as well as Gideon's had done its job. The buck fell to its knees, panting from shock and blood loss.

Kiba finished it off. The white wolf rammed the buck from the side, his teeth already encircling the buck's neck. The buck screamed, kicking feebly, but it was too late to fight. Kiba's bite had done its job. With a wet crunch, the buck's windpipe was crushed. Kiba looked back, his teeth stained red with blood, at Gideon and Myu. They were both waiting for him to eat first. Both of them were well aware from their short time with their families that the one who made a kill ate first, and they nodded their assent. Kiba smiled, happy they understood, and ripped a chunk of flesh from the buck's haunches.

When he swallowed the meat, Gideon and Myu came forward, and together, they shared the first meal that they had brought down, stripping the buck down to its bones. Although they had all partaken in city food before they left, it was not very delicious or filling, so the trio ate ravenously. They even cracked some of the ribs open for the marrow. When they were finished, there was hardly anything left for the ravens. When the trio left, the ravens squawked indignantly at the pitiful share of the buck that was left. Gideon killed one in response, allowing him and his friends to have a little extra snack. None of the ravens dared to speak up after that.

After the meal, they continued their race, Gideon giving out directions. However, he noticed that Myu kept on sneaking glances at him. She seemed worried. "Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"Why are you going back to a place that you hate?" Myu asked. Kiba heard this question and slowed down a bit to hear the conversation better.

"What are you talking about? Kiba needs help finding Cheza. Our help will be sufficient," Gideon asked.

"There's no way that you would go back for Cheza. She means nothing to a wolverine like you. And Bellicus did something to you when you were a child, so you might want revenge. However, you were a fully-grown wolverine more than three years ago, just as I was. You could have tried to take revenge at that time, but you didn't. What's so different now that you would return to your hated birthplace, something that you wouldn't do even back when you were younger and more foolish?" Myu asked.

Gideon looked away, not answering. Instead, he sped up, changing direction and racing to a rocky hill. Myu and Kiba were easily able to keep up with him, but they were still surprised when Gideon suddenly vanished. They stopped in their tracks. "Gideon!" Kiba called.

"In here!" Gideon growled. It was difficult to see in the now-dim light, but Gideon's face poked out of a burrow. Kiba and Myu looked closer, and they were able to locate and enter the burrow. Though the entrance was small, it was actually quite spacey on the inside. There were five or six smaller tunnels that led into smaller rooms, each with a nest of moss and grass.

"Did you dig this by yourself?" Kiba asked.

"No. This was originally a fox den. My family and I came here to relax every once in a while. We routed the foxes, and took it for ourselves. Between the time my family was killed and the time I met Myu, I lived here. We're very close to Bellicus's territory. I'd say that we'll get there in about two days, including resting periods," Gideon said.

"Answer the question, Gideon," Myu said, surprisingly in a hard voice.

Gideon sighed. "So there's no avoiding it. Very well," He laid down on the ground. "Where should I start? Well, first, your analysis was mostly correct, Myu. I could have taken my chance for revenge the instant I felt full-grown. However, I chose not to. I wanted to never see Bellicus again. However, you were wrong about one thing. Cheza means something to me," he said.

"What?" Kiba asked.

"At the time, Bellicus had a wild animals area. To him, it was his personal playground. To me and all the other animals, it was our home. It was beautiful. The guy obviously had a lot of money. His territory expanded to many habitats, from a forest to a mountain. There were a lot of animals. It was like a wildlife preserve," Gideon said, reminiscing about those days until Myu looked pointedly at him. "Anyway, one day I met this small pink wolf pup. She seemed lost. There were no parents around her, and she was looking around worriedly. I took her back home, and my parents wanted to eat her, but I stopped them. I convinced them that she could become a great asset. If it turned out that she was a threat, I would kill her myself."

"That was Cheza," Kiba said.

"Yeah. She never told me her name. But like Cheza, she smelled like lunar flowers. I never understood why she ate only small portions of meat. Now I know. Both of these were because she was literally a flower," Gideon said.

"So what did she mean to you?" Myu asked.

Gideon continued explaining. "I was the only one who treated her with kindness. The others ostracized her. She didn't speak at all, though, even though I took her to my favorite spots. Then one day, I had a huge argument with my parents, and I left the den in anger. I was surprised to see that she was following me wherever I went, even though I wanted to be alone. I tried to avoid her, but she kept on my tail. Finally, I led her to one of the places I showed her, and she finally spoke. She asked me with that lilting voice of hers, "What's wrong?" And I told her. She listened all the time, never even adding comments or questions. Then she gave me advice; great advice. After that, I asked her for help whenever I had problems I couldn't deal with alone. She never complained. Over time, we became friends."

"But it didn't last," Kiba realized.

Gideon smiled sadly. "Correct. One morning, six months after I met her for the first time, she was just gone. I tried to track her scent, but it had rained hard last night. As hard as I tried, I couldn't find her. My family told me to forget her, but it was a long time before I could. She was my best friend, even though I never knew her name," he said.

"Bellicus probably took her," Kiba said.

"Probably. Then I saw her again, right before I left. She was in a pod in his lab. I struck out at Bellicus, but I couldn't make him let her go. He knocked me out. The next thing I know, I'm back in my den. I got as close as I could to his manor, but for some reason, I couldn't smell her anymore. I've always regretted not being bale to save her. Until now, I thought she was dead," Gideon said.

"So you're going back to save her?" Myu asked.

"To save the world. She is its only hope. Only she can lead the wolves to Paradise. Even if I disappear in the end because I can't get into Paradise, I believe that I will shine. If I help you succeed, Kiba, then I will truly have reached the pinnacle position that any wolverine can probably get nowadays; a wolverine that helped a wolf open Paradise," Gideon said.

Kiba nodded. "That's what you're after? You're not in it for power or battle?" he asked.

"I only want to do all I can to save this world, no matter what. Even if the world is far too twisted to care." Gideon said this with a touch of bitterness. Still, his companions were deeply impressed. That type of conviction was not common in those days.

"Anyway, that's all I will tell you for now. Bellicus's mansion is about two days straight north from here. If we want to get there faster, then we should rest here for the night. We can make it there easily if we leave first thing" Gideon said.

"All right, then. Good night, everyone," Myu said.

"Good night," Gideon said. Both of them walked into their chosen rooms.

Kiba, however, was deep in thought. He had to find Cheza, no matter what the cost. Especially considering that like Gideon, Kiba needed her. Unlike Gideon, however, he felt that he needed her in more ways than one.

**And that's it. The next time will be more interesting. **

**Please leave a comment. They keep me motivated. **


	5. Trash

**And this is the next chapter. I actually had a lot of plans that contradicted each other for this chapter, but I chose the one that you see now. Enjoy!**

"Gideon! Gideon, wake up!" Myu was shaking the wolverine hard, but all he did was toss and turn a little.

"Give me a back-scratch…" Gideon lazily muttered with the voice of a little kit.

"I'm not back-scratching you! This is serious!" Myu hissed.

"I won't get up until you give me a back-scratch…" Gideon murmured, stretching.

"Kiba's missing, idiot!" Myu snapped. This made Gideon open his eyes and get up.

"What the hell? I thought I said that we would wake up at the crack of dawn! I thought he was in his room!" Gideon complained.

"First of all, it is the crack of dawn, and second of all, I already checked his room and he wasn't there! I sniffed around the den, but there aren't even any traces of his scent! He must have left in the middle of the night!" Myu said.

"Where could he have possibly have gone?" Gideon asked.

"You said last night that Bellicus's mansion is straight north from here. I'd guess that's where he went," Myu said.

"What?! That idiot! He's got no idea what's coming to him! We've got to find him quickly! If he keeps heading straight north from here, he'll be in serious trouble before he even gets to the mansion!" Gideon said, heading to the exit.

"Why? What's between there and here?" Myu asked.

"I'll tell you on the way! Come on!" Gideon growled. He raced out of the den, Myu following close behind him.

_Meanwhile…_

Kiba did feel grateful towards Gideon for pointing him in the right direction, but right now he had a job to finish. He could see the manor in the distance. However, first he had to go through the hulking city before him. Something was familiar about it, but he couldn't quite place his finger on it.

He entered the city, quickly growing aware that many eyes were now focused on him. They were not the eyes of humans.

Animals were looking at him from everywhere. They all had human images, but Kiba could see them for what they really were. Coyotes, weasels, snakes, pumas…they were all medium-sized carnivores. However, the most abundant creatures by far…were wolves.

Wolves seemed to dominate the population here. No matter where Kiba looked, there were wolves. The other humans were insanely stupid if they thought that this city was just a population of them. There were no humans in sight. It was just a population of shaggy-haired animals.

Kiba looked around, carrying himself with a regal bearing. It was because of this that he wasn't confronted immediately. It had been so long since the animals in this city had seen such a wolf. His fur was sleek, not ragged like all the other animals. His eyes held a very cool awareness of his power, and most animals of the city knew that he was worth a hundred of them, both in value and a fight.

However, there were those who were foolish enough to confront him. Kiba narrowed his eyes when he saw a fox swagger up to him. "What are you doing here, wolf? This is no place for your kind," it drawled. Its fur was unkempt, and there were bugs flying around it. Its eye had a scar on it. Kiba didn't know whether to feel annoyed, disgusted, or both.

Soon, he chose both, and reacted accordingly. With a snarl, he crunched down on the fox's back. The fox squealed as its back broke under Kiba's fangs. Kiba shook it roughly before tossing the crumpled body away, shaking his head a little bit to clear it from the taste.

This set the animals off. One by one, a number of them dropped their human images and surrounded Kiba. They did not care that they might die. Somewhere in the recesses of their minds, they felt that they should avenge the dead fox, no matter who killed it. The ones who didn't move in hung back, waiting for the fight and licking their lips in anticipation for the meal that they knew that they would have, no matter which side won.

The first one to attack was a puma that was all skin and bones. Kiba easily dodged its attack, and his fangs closed on an animal once more. The sharp teeth easily punctured the brittle bones, and the puma yowled before dying. Then, a horde of weasels leapt on Kiba, and the wolf temporarily disappeared under a mass of the squealing animals. However, they were about as strong as rodents, and it wasn't long before Kiba rolled over and crushed a number of them. The few that were left fell under Kiba's claws and fangs.

That really set the animals off. They began attacking with force. Kiba fought them off with mild difficulty, for although they were weak from not eating, their desperation and fear of Kiba made them tenacious, and therefore very dangerous. In the animal world, the only thing that was more dangerous than a cornered prey animal that could fight was a terrified predator being hunted.

Kiba fought viciously, his literal lives of experience coming in handy. More animals fell to his teeth and claws, their bones shattered, their minds devoid of sanity, and their mouths locked in eternal grimaces of death. However, as it normally is with an army against one fighter, whenever Kiba took down one, more animals seemed to spring up in its place. And although Kiba fought with the strength of ten of these animals, there were a lot more than ten enemies, and the wolf began to tire.

"STAND DOWN!" At this booming voice, the animals immediately froze. There was a murmur as the crowd parted. Kiba's eyes widened.

"Gideon! Myu!" Kiba breathed. He hit realization. The voice was Gideon's. But why would these savage creatures even spare him a glance? Then he saw the mix of fear and respect in their eyes. What was Gideon to these animals?

"M-m-master Gideon…" a snake hissed, quivering. Well, that answered Kiba's question.

"It's been far too long since I was here. You're all nothing but trash now. The scum of the animal planet. Living like this should be hell to you. What happened? Where is your pride?" Gideon snarled.

"Pride? Pride means nothing to us! You are no longer our leader, Gideon! Your ideals have disappeared! I lead this city now!" a large but scraggly wolf roared.

Gideon smiled. It was not a nice smile. "I see. Well then, in that case, I suggest you let us pass, Macoon," he said.

"And if I don't?" Macoon challenged. Gideon's smile grew for an instant, and the next moment he was in front of Macoon. The wolf cried out as Gideon's fangs sunk into his neck. Gideon calmly tossed the wolf into a wall, and the victim cried out as he hit it and sunk to the ground, unconscious. The wolverine did not look at the fallen body, instead looking around at the now-shocked animals, including his two friends.

"This city is going to die out soon, along with you guys. Your leader has been incapacitated. Leaderless, you can either die a pointless death in this trash heap, or you can get the hell out of here and die like real animals. I don't give a damn either way. What I do care about is if you follow us. If I find anyone tracking us, I'll snuff that little spy's life out like a flickering flame. Do we understand each other?" Gideon asked.

The animals of the city nodded fearfully. "Good. Now we're leaving," Gideon said, turning to leave.

"Wait! Where are you going, Master Gideon?" a fox asked.

Gideon glared at him. "Do not call me that again. To you, I am just Gideon. I have no desire to be the master of a bunch of insignificant cowards. And for your information, we are going to Bellicus's manor. So even if you do manage to escape my notice, you will die there. So I suggest that you keep your distance," he said, leading Kiba and Myu in the direction of the other gates of the city. The trio left the area, and as soon as they were gone, the animals left alive melted out of the shadows, licking their lips at the myriad dead bodies left for them. With absolutely no reservation, they tore into the meat.

Meanwhile, Kiba and Myu were still shocked about Gideon's behavior, and Kiba wanted answers. "Gideon! What is the meaning of this? How did you come to be lord of these animals?" he asked.

"It's just something that I used to do before I met Myu. Besides, my leadership only lasted a few months. I'd say that those months were probably the best that they had in this city, though. Still, I was always disgusted with these pathetic creatures. I found them as a bunch of rejects and cretins who couldn't make it hunting, so they resorted to eating each other," Gideon said.

"Cannibalism?" Myu asked, her voice shaking.

"Not exactly, although it is a common practice here. It would be cannibalism if predators were considered the same species. But it's mostly just wolves preying on the coyotes, foxes, snakes, and even the occasional puma. They ruled the place before I showed up. And now that I've left this place, they rule it again," Gideon said.

"Did you kill that wolf?" Myu asked.

"No, but I did weaken him severely. Those bones of his were so brittle. I suspect that he will die sooner or later," Gideon said with no emotion.

Myu had enough. "What is wrong with you?! This is a city filled with endangered hunters like us! Are you just going to leave them out here to die?! The Gideon I know would never leave behind so much death!" she shouted.

Gideon whipped his head around, his eyes blazing with anger. "They are not hunters. They've fallen from being mammals to being insects. They are bugs scrabbling around in a box, just waiting to die. They even don't deserve the honor of being killed by animals like us," he growled.

Myu opened her mouth, but Kiba spoke up. "He's right, Myu." The caracal turned to the wolf. "You might be too naïve to see it, but I see in them what Gideon sees. Their eyes are hollow with hunger and weakness. They can't hunt because there is nothing left. So they've resorted to living like humans in this trash heap of a city, hoping to escape until they die. And when they do die, the best thing that can happen to their bodies is being eaten by their own friends. This is the life that they choose to live, and no one, not even us, can stop it," Kiba said.

"But if we try…" Myu started.

"You think I haven't?" Both Gideon and Kiba growled. They glanced at each other before Gideon spoke first. "They simply couldn't grasp the most basic of hunting techniques. Every pounce—missed! Every bite—weak! Every strike—pathetic! Even the snakes had forgotten how to hunt!" Gideon scathed.

"And I've seen this type of life in my previous lives. I tried to help them, tried to bring hope, but it didn't work," Kiba said.

"Previous lives?" Gideon asked.

"I haven't told you yet, haven't I? I am the wolf chosen by the flower. As such, I have tried to find Paradise again and again. I got closer every time, and then I fail, dying in the process. I come back to life hundreds of millennia later, in each new world, and travel with a new pack to find Paradise, and then I fail. Each pack that I traveled with, the pack that Cheza chose for me—gone. And I felt like a real bastard for dooming all of them. I failed them," Kiba said, his head drooping.

"Kiba…" Gideon murmured.

"What's worse is that I remember everything from my previous lives. I am punished to recall the faces of my dying friends. And Cheza—every time a wolf died, she took it even harder than I did. I'm not finding Paradise just for my friends, or even for a future. I'm finding Paradise for her," Kiba said.

"I see. All right then, there's no choice. We've got to get there fast. I was hoping to avoid this path, though," Gideon said, leading Kiba and Myu in a different direction.

"Where are we going?" Myu asked.

"Just follow me," Gideon replied. He led them to a wide pipeline opening.

"What is this?" Kiba asked.

"This is one of the reasons that I wanted all of us to set out together. It's…pretty much my last resort," Gideon said.

A rank stench rose from the pipeline's depths. "Ugh, that is disgusting!" Myu said, covering her nose.

"I know, it's a pain, but it's much faster than traveling aboveground!" Gideon said. Despite his defense of the pipeline, he did not seem pleased about the option either.

"We don't have a choice?" Kiba asked.

"We do, but if we travel aboveground, we'll have to traverse a very rocky ground, and that can be a pain, too. Besides, it's kind of disorienting, that path. Here, it's just one straight shot to House Bellicus. It should cut our travel time by a lot," Gideon said.

"How long will it take?" Kiba asked.

"I'd say we'll get to Bellicus's gardens by midnight if we take this path. It would be faster if we ran here, too, but I wouldn't recommend it," Gideon said.

"Why?" Myu asked.

"There's a lot of trash down there. If you're not careful, you'll run into it. Trust me, it's not something you want happening to you," Gideon growled.

"All right. In any case, it's faster. I say we take it," Kiba said.

"Fine, but I'm going to regret this," Myu said.

"Myu, we're all going to regret this," Gideon said as Kiba took the lead into the tunnel. Before long, they were unable to be seen from outside.

_Meanwhile…_

Unbeknownst to the trio, an animal had been tracking them for some time. However, she had no qualms about killing the creatures from the city. After they had given them what she wanted, she tracked their scent to the pipeline.

"Ugh, he's still as dirty as I've always known…" she snarled, catching the scent of the trio mingling with the scent of the tunnel. Then she grinned. "Still, they're heading to Master Bellicus's mansion. I will finally get my revenge for what he did to my family!"

She slinked off, her mouth still drooling at the prospect of her revenge.

**And that's how I'll end it for now. It looks like I got more publicity with the title change; but nevertheless, I would like you to leave a comment behind. Sorry the update took so long!**


	6. Jealousy

**I hate giving excuses. It feels petty. Still, this time, blame lack of motivation.**

"Ugh, this is disgusting!" Myu complained as they navigated their way through the tunnel.

"Don't remind me, I know how you feel!" Gideon snarled.

"How long do we have to stay down here?" Kiba asked. He was probably the calmest one about the situation.

"I think we're almost through," Gideon said.

"You _think?_" Myu asked incredulously.

"It's been a while since I've been here. My memory is a bit hazy," Gideon said.

"You're right. I can see light," Kiba said. It was true. They could now see white at the end of the tunnel.

"Finally!" Myu exclaimed. Kiba and Gideon followed her into a world of green. Plants and flowers grew everywhere. It was one of the most beautiful forests they had ever seen, even though there was not enough sun to really light up the forest.

"Yeah. Finally, I'm back," Gideon said, looking around and inhaling. The air was still as fresh as he remembered.

"Why would you leave a place like this? This is probably the closest thing that you could get to Paradise," Kiba asked.

"It's not a utopia. The sun's not shining here because I lived under a shadow. The shadow of Bellicus's mansion. This may be an ideal habitat at first glance, but trust me, it's not. There were, and still are, monsters that lurk within the trees. If you aren't careful, you could be alive one moment and dead the next," Gideon growled.

"Is it daytime or nighttime?" Myu asked.

"I'd put it around late afternoon. It's kind of hard to tell. Still, if I'm right, our best course of action is to hunt, eat, and rest. Tomorrow, we'll push on to Bellicus's mansion, which is pretty close by. We can sleep in my family's old den," Gideon said.

"There's prey here?" Kiba asked.

"Nothing really big like moose or elk, but there are some types of small deer here, and there are rabbits, mice, and weasels. I'd say that the three of us together could easily bring one down," Gideon said.

"Do you know the game trails here?" Myu asked.

"They might have changed, but we'll check the best ones. Let's go," Gideon said, leading them off.

"Do you still not trust him?" Myu asked.

"He's hiding something," Kiba said.

"He's very good at it. But he'll reveal it when he's ready," Myu said.

"What the hell?" they heard Gideon's voice exclaim.

"Gideon? What's wrong?" Myu asked running in the direction he went, with Kiba following. They found Gideon pensively looking down at something.

"This is impossible…absolutely impossible!" Gideon hissed. He moved away so that his companions could get a better look. And what they saw made their marrow freeze.

Tracks. Wolverine tracks. Kiba sniffed them. "They're not that old. I'd say five days at the most," he said.

"No way. Gideon, I thought you were the last wolverine!" Myu exclaimed.

"I am! But the evidence is right before our eyes! Bellicus still has at least one wolverine in his garden!" Gideon growled.

They continued looking at the tracks for a few minutes until Kiba sighed. "We can think about this later. Right now, we should hunt. Gideon, you should be leading us to the game trails, right?" Kiba asked.

Gideon nodded his assent, and took his companions on a tour throughout his old home. He was right; the game trails had changed since his childhood. However, with their combined tracking skills, they were soon able to find the trail of a small group of deer. As they tracked it, though, Kiba sensed that they were being followed. However, he thought little of it, for the group of deer was nigh.

They were white-tailed deer, much to Gideon's surprise. "What? That's weird. Deer that size aren't common here," he murmured.

"Can we still take them?" Kiba asked.

"Yeah, but it won't be easy. We need to lay a perfect ambush, and strike quickly. The wind's not blowing, so our scent should be fairly well hidden," Gideon said. He looked to Kiba for their hunting strategy.

"All right. Let's spread ourselves a little further apart. There are no fawns, but it looks like that deer is limping," Kiba said, referring to a deer on the edge of the herd that was standing with one leg raised. "We have to wait for a while. Once it strays from the herd, we strike. Got it?" The other two nodded, and carried out the plan. They even spread a little further apart than Kiba entailed so that if the wind shifted to the direction of the deer, their scent would make it seem like the deer would have only one direction in which to flee.

They waited. And waited. And waited. The deer remained in the center of the field, grazing. The predators crouched in the bushes, waiting for an hour. As they waited, the sun began to set, and the deer finally began to move away. The trio waited in anticipation. By the time the deer had reached the edge of the field, the injured one was straying away, unable to keep up with its group.

Quick as a flash, Kiba sprang out of the bushes and attacked. The wolf leapt onto the now screaming deer and brought it down with a bite to the midsection. The alarmed herd looked back, and some seemed about to charge when they heard the snarls of both Gideon and Myu as the two other hunters moved to finish the dying deer. Myu's fangs sank into the deer's neck, and Gideon gave it a slash to the skull. There was no way that the deer could have stayed alive. The mammal gave a final gurgle and died. The rest of the herd bolted off.

"Which blow killed it?" Myu asked.

"A slash to the skull is not a conventional way to kill something. It was just an experiment that I tried. Your bite to the neck was probably more effective. You eat first," Gideon said.

"Are you sure?" Myu asked.

"Myu, just eat first," Kiba growled. After some more glances at her companions, Myu finally dug her face into the belly of the deer, ripping into it and dragging out a huge chunk of flesh. When she swallowed it, the other two came forward and ripped off pieces of flesh from their respective chosen feeding spots.

They probably would have picked it clean like the last carcass, if it wasn't for Gideon and Kiba suddenly stopping. "What's wrong? Aren't you hungry?" Myu asked. Kiba shushed her as he and Gideon looked around.

"Something's here. Something's watching us," Kiba growled.

"And I think I know who, though it seems impossible," Gideon growled. "Why don't you come on out? I know you're there," he said, focusing on a spot in the bushes around the grove. There was no answer. "You could never hide from me, little sister, so come out before I drag you out."

This made Kiba and Myu whip their heads towards the spot where Gideon was focusing on. Little sister? Did Gideon even have one? Their question was answered when a young human girl, maybe slightly younger than they were, leapt into view.

"There is nothing but animals here. Drop that image immediately, Lilia," Gideon growled. The girl did so, revealing a dark brown female wolverine, smaller than Gideon.

"It has been far too long, big brother. I'm sorry, but I can't let you go into Master Bellicus' mansion," she said.

Gideon's eyes widened before springing towards his little sister. To Kiba and Myu's surprise, he missed, and landed with his hackles raised.

"Master Bellicus? That's really all I need to know. Why would you serve the one who killed our parents?" Gideon asked, looking at Lilia, who had dodged his attack.

If wolverines could smile, that would have been what Lilia did at this point. "Really? I don't recall ever serving you," she growled. Gideon's eyes grew more feral, and he snapped, attacking Lilia again and again. Each time, she sidestepped the attack.

"Gideon, what is she saying?" Myu cried. Gideon glanced at her before glaring back at Lilia, who sniffed.

"You haven't told them? Or did you lie to them? Your companions are as ignorant of your past as I once was. Did you ever tell them how much of monster you really are, Gideon?" Lilia asked.

"Stop it!" Gideon roared, his claws clenching the ground.

"Are you going to attack me again? Good! That will show them exactly the kind of beast you are!" Lilia sneered.

"Gideon's not a monster! You have no idea what you are speaking of!" Myu shouted.

Lilia turned her gaze on the caracal. Myu could now see more of the resemblance. Gideon and Lilia even had the same eyes. "Silence, wildcat. I am his little sister; do not try to tell me what you think of him! Don't you see? Tell them, Gideon! Tell them what you were hiding! Tell them who killed our parents!" she laughed.

Gideon stayed silent for a few seconds, even after Kiba and Myu looked at him. His head was bowed, and his hackles were no longer raised. Finally, he spoke. "I did," he whispered. Myu gasped and Kiba's eyes widened. "I killed them…with my own fangs and claws."

Lilia laughed. "Finally! Finally, finally! I shall have my revenge!" Her eyes turned red, somewhat like Cheza's eyes, but Lilia's were fiery with rage and anger. She leapt at her brother and struck him away with her claws. Gideon flew and fell a few feet away. "You are a fool, brother!" She rushed at him and rammed him, slamming him into the trees. "Are you too scared to fight your little sister?" She sank her fangs into his body, and finally he cried out. "Yes! I have wanted to do that for years!" She attacked him again and again. He tried to fight back, but she easily avoided or stopped his attempts.

"Gideon!" Myu screamed, moving to try and help him.

"Don't interfere!" Gideon snarled before Lilia pounced on him.

"Why do you cry out his name, caracal? Can't you see him for the monster he is?" Lilia asked.

"He is not a monster!" Myu hissed.

"MYU! Don't even think about interfering! This is my fight!" Gideon snarled before rolling over and crushing his little sister under his weight before she let him go. He retreated a good distance away.

"So you still have some fight left! Good! That will make your death all the sweeter!" Lilia snarled. She attacked again, and although Gideon was fighting back with more intensity than before, Lilia still had the upper hand. Claws slashed. Fangs sliced. Fur flew. And the cries of pain that the two wolverines were making echoed through the night. Of course, Gideon's cries were more common and more intense.

"We have to help him!" Myu said as the two wolverines fought. She was about to move in as Gideon was distracted when Kiba put a paw on her shoulder. She glared at his paw, and then at the wolf himself. "You don't want to help him, don't you! You've never trusted him!"

"It's not that. You are right. He is not a monster," Kiba murmured. Myu's glare changed into a look of surprise. "But he never fights like this. Can you see it, Myu? He's holding back."

Myu looked at the fight again, and saw that Kiba was right. There was little intensity in Gideon's attacks. Even though Lilia was ready to tear him apart, Gideon wasn't fighting at his best.

Finally, the two fighters stood a good distance away from each other. Gideon had the more severe wounds. Lilia only had some scratches and cuts. "Had enough, brother? I have waited so long for this moment! This is justice!" she hissed. Her red eyes were blazing.

Gideon glared at her. "If you're so confident that I'm going to die here And what moment would that be, sister?" he asked.

Lilia tilted her head in an almost insane fashion. "The moment…where I finally get out from under your shadow!" she declared.

Gideon's eyes changed from desperation and rage to utter calm. "So…that's it," Lilia's eyes widened as she realized her mistake. "This isn't about revenge or justice. It's about your own jealousy," he laughed. His words struck a nerve, and Lilia pounced on him, her face just inches from his and her teeth bared in a threatening gesture.

"You could never understand how I feel. Having to live under your achievements. You always had to be the best at everything. Hunting, fighting, sprints, ambush, even eating! I couldn't stand it!" Lilia looked down at her brother, and she was both surprised to see a cool look on his face. However, she shook it off to taunt him.

"That's strange…that look seems familiar…where have I seen it before?" She pretended to think. "Hmmm…ah, I remember! This was how our father looked when he died! And now you will follow in his footsteps!" She leaned close to his ear. "And here's my little secret, big brother." A realization began to come into Gideon's mind, but he couldn't bear it. "I…killed…our parents," she hissed.

Gideon's eyes widened, and he screamed in rage, erupting off the ground and throwing his sister off. When his sister recovered, the cold look in her brother's eyes stopped her from acting. "Explain," he commanded, his tone leaving no argument.

"I saw the power that you had from whatever Bellicus gave you, so while you were around destroying things and distracting our parents, I went to Bellicus and made a deal with him. In exchange for killing off our family, the last wolverines, I would be his servant and be given the stuff. So, when our parents confronted you, I turned on them and killed them. Mother was shocked, but Father had the same look you did just now! When the substance wore off, you were face with Bellicus telling you that you killed your own parents as well as their dead bodies! You truly are a fool, Gideon! You left, and left me for dead! As a result, Bellicus was free to give me the potion, and now I am the better! Finally, finally!" Lilia ranted.

While she talked, Gideon was recovering himself. Lilia was surprised to see the same indifferent look on his face. Even his eyes only had a bit of rage in them. "So you truly think that you can kill me, Lilia?" Gideon asked.

"Of course! I have all the rage I need! I've seen you fight! You fight and hunt like a maniac, brother! You fight with rage! Well, now I have it, and I will use all my rage to destroy you!" Lilia screamed.

"You've seen me hunt? Sorry, Lilia, but I'm afraid you're wrong," Gideon said. Lilia looked confused. "When I hunt, I am tenacious, like all our kind. However, I hunt with a complete clearness of mind. I don't use rage, even in my fights. It's not rage that makes me so strong. It's my clear mind and focus. When I fight, I focus on one thing. And that thing is…" Gideon rushed at Lilia and ripped his claws across her flank. "The aim to defeat my opponent!" He pounced on her and exerted all his strength to keep her down, sinking his claws into her body.

"Mercy…" Lilia whispered as Gideon put his fangs at her throat.

"And why would I grant that to you?" Gideon asked.

"I'm your sister, and I realize that I have fallen below the rank of animal by submitting to a human. I don't deserve to be killed by you. Please…" Lilia said.

"…I will let you live. Get out of my sight," Gideon growled, getting of his sister. As soon as he turned away, Lilia shot up.

"Never take your eyes off of your opponent!" Lilia said, racing towards her brother with fangs bared. Gideon dropped and rolled under her attack before kicking with both hind legs. This move knocked her up. As she came down, Gideon pounced on her once more, and this time, she tried to break free, even going so far as to slash and bite, but Gideon's grip was relentless.

"I had a feeling you would try something like that, sister. You are tenacious. And you were wrong once more. I still consider you part of my family. Even if I didn't, that tenacity and determination to kill me are things that only a wolverine would have. Of all the animals that lived here, our family was by far the most stubborn. That is what kept us clinging on, and that is what makes you an animal, even if you have stooped so low as to follow Bellicus. I don't really want to kill you, sister. But I am afraid I have no choice. Farewell, my dear."

Gideon made it painless, giving Lilia no time to fear or suffer. He closed his fangs around her throat and crushed her windpipe, killing her instantly. When he looked up at Kiba and Myu, he was unsurprised to see the shock and fear in their faces. "Why? Why would you kill her? She was your sister," Kiba questioned.

Gideon moved so that his eyes were in the light, and his two companions could see his tears. "It was the only way to set her free," he replied.

"But you staved off the effects of whatever was in her," Myu commented.

"The difference between her and I was just that; I had a spirit strong enough to resist it; but she gave in immediately. Once that happens, there is no turning back," Gideon said.

"Where are you going?" Kiba asked.

"I'm taking you to my old family den. We can rest there for tonight, and then I'll take you to Bellicus' mansion." Gideon paused. "Of course, you saw my true colors. Do you still want me around? Or am I just a monster who deserves to be alone? Because if the latter is true, then I will leave."

Kiba stepped forward. "I've never seen a wolverine with a spirit like yours. Whatever Lilia said was wrong. You are not a monster, Gideon," Kiba said. Myu nodded, her resolute face set in stone.

Gideon sighed. "I doubt that, Kiba. I truly do. But thanks for trusting me." He led them a good distance away from the grove. Then, they saw a dark burrow, not unlike the one in the wilderness.

"Come on." Gideon and Kiba slinked in. Myu, on the other hand, was deep in thought. There was something different about Gideon. For all his strength, he seemed…weak. Vulnerable. But why? What exactly happened in this place? She wanted answers, and she was going to get them sooner or later.

Before that, though, she would have a nice rest. She entered the den, still thinking about the best way to confront Gideon.

**And that's it. This story is very dark, isn't it? Well, it's my normal style. Dark fantasy is one of my specialties in writing. **

**In any case, please review! **


	7. Scars of the Dark

**Forgive this late update, but I had other issues to address on other aspects of the site. They were a real pain to deal with. In any case, I'll be sure to work on this a little bit more over winter break, so you can expect the next update over that period of time. **

Myu, after a good hour or so of debating with herself, finally decided to confront Gideon about his past. She felt rather silly for not doing so before, especially considering that he knew almost everything about her past…or at least, he knew all the details that he was able to grasp when he was actually paying attention to her explanations. She, on the other hand, had little to no idea of his past, and had hardly pushed when she asked about it, but her interaction with Lilia had hardened her resolve.

It was lucky for her that Gideon was outside the den on watch. He was very difficult to wake up, and he knew it, which was why, after a few minutes of debate, he volunteered to take the first watch. She began to pad out into the opening, but, surprisingly, she did not feel Gideon's presence at the entrance, although his scent was still there. When she crawled out into the night air, she found that she was right. Gideon was gone.

Myu more or less panicked. She was just about to rush in and get Kiba when she heard Gideon's snarl, followed by an animal's dying screech. Before long, Gideon reappeared from a thicket. In his jaws was a dead hare. Gideon dropped the hare before speaking. "Myu. What are you doing out here?" he asked.

"Gideon…I got worried when I didn't see you out here," Myu said.

Gideon smiled. "Well, we didn't finish the carcass earlier, so I decided to hunt for a hare or two. This area was full of hares when my parents settled in. Their population dwindled her because of our presence, but ever since we left all those years ago, they apparently multiplied by a lot." He crouched down and ripped almost half of the hare's flesh off, including the head. "It's not fattening, but it does provide a good snack. Here, you can have the rest. I can catch another one."

"Thank you." Unlike her companion, Myu ate rather daintily, taking smaller bites to enjoy the taste more. There was little point, though; predators their size generally caught hares for a quick snack or to feed their offspring. As Gideon said, hares were hardly fattening.

"Now, there is a reason that you came here. You came to ask me about my past," Gideon guessed.

The hare carcass had nearly been stripped down to its bones, so Myu looked up, licking her lips. She was about to speak when another voice did so. "Yes…I would like to know that as well…" The two turned to the den entrance, where Kiba was padding out, his eyes as intimidating as ever, if not more so.

"Guess there's no avoiding it. You already know that I was the strongest wolverine kit in my litter. I dominated all the others, taking the best resting and hunting spots for myself. Of course, after seeing how Lilia reacted to me just before, maybe that wasn't such a good idea. You guys also know that Cheza and I were friends, and that I found her in Bellicus's lab after she disappeared," Gideon said. Kiba and Myu nodded.

"Well, what you don't know is why I was there in the first place. Bellicus had been observing me from the moment of my birth. He observes all the predators in his garden. To what end, I know not. Still, he took an interest in me, and offered me a choice; become one of his test subjects, or see my family slaughtered in front of me. Naturally, I became a test subject," Gideon explained.

"I hate choices like that," Kiba growled.

"You're not the only one. Anyway, after I saw Cheza, I tried to kill Bellicus and force him to set her free. However, he knocked me out. But you know this." Gideon fixed his glare on his friends. "What you don't know, and what I didn't know at first, was that Bellicus had already tested his substance on me. The instant I saw my parents, everything became a blurry red. I was dimly aware of what was going on; I was attacking my parents and my siblings. I tried my very best to stop it, but all my mind could do was sit helplessly on the sidelines as my body mercilessly slaughtered by siblings. My parents attacked me, and they were vicious. It took several major wounds from them for my mind to take control again. But then, I fell unconscious again. The last thing I heard was Lilia screaming in rage."

"And you thought that she was dead when you came to?" Kiba asked.

Gideon growled. "I thought that everyone was dead. Bellicus presented me with the slashed-up remains of my family. It was impossible to tell whom from whom. I had no idea that Lilia was still alive, but at that moment, I didn't care. I was too busy wallowing in self-pity," he said.

"So why did you leave?" Myu asked.

"I didn't have time to grieve after Bellicus presented me with the bodies. He said that I had done magnificently, and that he would depend on me in the future. Then he showed me a needle attached to a bottle full of red liquid, too bright to be blood. He told me it was the rage potion that he used on me; it amplifies rage, and in turn, power. However, its effect is only temporary, but gets stronger every injection until the victim is completely consumed by anger. Also, the injection has to be after the last one's effect wears off, or else the entire body system breaks down and the subject dies. Those who are injected with it just once will experience minimal symptoms. He tried to force me to take the potion. I guess you know what my answer was," Gideon explained with a smug look.

"You ran," Myu said.

"I flat out refused, of course. I swore that I would never listen to him again, and that he could go to hell. And, as expected, he lost his temper. I knew that I would be no match for him in my current state, so I ran. I tried to find Cheza, but she was not in the pod in which I first saw her. Bellicus was closing in, so I took drastic measures. I jumped out of a window," Gideon said.

"…That's it?" Kiba asked, giving Gideon a deadpan look.

"…Yeah, come to think of it, it wasn't that drastic. I just scaled it like I scale most cliffs," Gideon agreed, his eyes sliding to the side. The next moment, he pounced on a hare that either did not expect the predators there, or simply could not get away fast enough. He tossed the twitching animal to Kiba. "Here, you have it." Kiba nodded his thanks and stopped the hare's twitching by ripping a large chunk of flesh from its flanks. "Anyway, I raced through the forest, knowing that he would kill me if I didn't. By the time I got out, I had already promised myself that I would never return."

"But here you are," Kiba said, finishing the hare.

"Yes. It's high time I returned. I've always thought that I was a monster, and that my parents' murder was my doing. Now I know the truth, and I'm going to make Bellicus pay," Gideon growled, but then looked apprehensive. "Am I a monster?"

Kiba looked at the wolverine. "You are trustworthy, Gideon. Myu is right. You are not a monster," he said, and Myu nodded.

Gideon looked at them for a long moment before suddenly pouncing on Myu, snarling. His eyes had murder in them, and his paws were pressed onto her chest. However, Myu did not react, surprisingly, and despite the slight fear in her eyes, it was mostly patience and calm. When Gideon turned to Kiba, there was the same deadpan look in his eyes. He had the look of someone who was content to wait. Gideon's face morphed to confusion. They weren't afraid?

"What were you hoping to accomplish? You are a friend, Gideon, and someone I can trust. There's no way someone like you would ever be a true monster, and we will never be afraid of you," Kiba said.

Gideon let Myu up, his face full of regret. "But what if I turn back into what I was? What if Bellicus somehow gets the potion inside of me?" he asked.

"Then we will do all we can to bring you back. You fought it off once before, and you can do it again!" Myu claimed.

"And if there is no way to bring me back? If Bellicus has found out some way to make the effects permanent?" Gideon asked.

Myu looked down. "I don't want to think about that…I would never be able to forgive myself if I couldn't bring you back if you got possessed by that potion." She looked up so that she and the wolverine were face-to-face. "But if that happens…I'll set you free, the same way you set Lilia free," she promised.

"And I'll do the same. It's what you would want," Kiba said.

"Thank you," Gideon said, retreating into the den.

Kiba and Myu stayed outside. "And he didn't even offer to stand watch," Myu complained.

"I'll do it. You'll take the last watch," Kiba said.

"Thank you," Myu said, about to walk into the den. However, Kiba called her.

"Myu…do you still have the same feelings for me that you did when we first met?" Kiba asked.

Myu stopped and hesitated a bit before answering. "I…when I first saw you reborn in this world, I was so happy…but now, with Gideon…I don't think I have those kinds of feelings for you anymore. With you, I can't stop myself from thinking about you, and my heart still beats at an amazing rate when I'm around you, but…I can control myself now. I still have a crush on you, but I think it will fade in time," she said.

"And Gideon?" Kiba asked.

Myu turned to look at Kiba, and he could see the love in her eyes at the mention of Gideon's name. "Gideon…he means a lot to me. He was the one who saved me when I thought I would fall so easily in this world. I trust him, and I don't want to lose him. For all his extraordinary spirit, he seems…not weak, but…"

"Vulnerable," Kiba finished.

"Right. I don't know my exact feelings for him yet, but…I want to do for him what he did for me. I want to help him through the hardest of times. Gideon tries to do everything by himself, Kiba. I don't want him to be like that. He has to see that being with people he can trust is much better than living away from others," Myu said.

"If you fall in love with him…I won't interfere. I have feelings for someone else," Kiba said.

"It's obviously Cheza, right?" Myu asked, a sad look on her face.

"She means everything to me, Myu," Kiba said.

"I understand, Kiba. I won't interfere," Myu said. She padded back into the burrow.

"We will still be friends," Kiba called quietly.

"I know," Myu whispered.

**Okay, I'll end it there. Admittedly, this was me being lazy. I wanted to use this chapter as a bridge of sorts. The next chapter will bring things up, I promise. **

**Please leave a comment below. **


	8. Violent Trap

**I told you that I would release the next chapter over winter break, but I failed. Still, for those of you who have been looking forward to this, here is chapter 8. After this, I'd say the story would be about halfway done, maybe more. **

"Gideon, the castle is that huge thing over there, right?" Kiba asked. The trio was regarding a large, ominous-looking castle that towered over the trees. The reason that they couldn't see it last night was because the castle was black.

"Obviously," Gideon said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Don't be spiteful, Gideon," Myu chided.

Gideon growled. "I'm warning you now, Bellicus's mansion is filled with disorienting traps. Nothing that will kill us, as far as I can remember, but they are meant to eventually lead his intruders to him."

"Why?" Myu asked.

"So that he has plenty of live test subjects to work with. The man is called a "scientist" as he once told me, but from what I've seen, he's more like a psychopath. He injects various substances into his victim's body while they are still alive, and will cut that subject open without any sort of paralysis or warning. Before he even gets started on a second test, the victim longs for death; cries out for it. But the powers that be do not answer, and leave him to suffer," Gideon spat. Even now, he was filled with revulsion.

"Something's wrong, though. I can't seem to get Cheza's scent. In fact, I haven't even gotten a whiff of her ever since we got here," Kiba said.

"She's probably too far away at the moment. Besides, the walls are thick," Gideon said.

"I don't think it's that simple," Kiba growled.

Gideon and Myu looked at Kiba strangely before Kiba spoke up. "It's probably nothing. Let's go. Lead the way, Gideon," he said.

Gideon gave a short nod before leaping off, and his companions followed. The foliage wasn't all that dense in Bellicus's garden, and the worst obstacle that they had to face was a swollen but shallow river with fast-running water, but Gideon found a path of stepping stones that they could use to get across.

Before long, they were at the front entrance of Bellicus's mansion. Once again, there were guards at the front entrance. Some seemed to be patrolling and others looked stationed, but they were all armed with what Kiba recognized as electric spears. "Great. How are we going to get past that checkpoint?" he asked.

"Interesting. There weren't this many guards at the front entrance from what I can remember. Still, it's three against ten…you think we can take them?" Gideon asked.

"I should be asking you that," Kiba said.

"Yeah, you're right. I have a better idea," Gideon said. He picked up a rock and hurled it at a patrolling guard's head. The stone struck, and the guard fell, far from hearing his comrades' shocked cries. The ones at the door came rushing over. "Get up into the trees, quickly! Kill them as soon as you see a chance!" Gideon hissed.

Kiba and Myu did as Gideon said, while the guards were looking around, spears held at the ready. They still had not turned their attention to the undergrowth, so Gideon chucked two more rocks at them. Both found a mark, and two more soldiers went down.

Now there were seven, still too many to take on in direct combat, and all of them now had their attention at the bushes. "Someone's there! Let's go! Lord Bellicus will be returning with the flower maiden soon, and it is imperative that we protect her!" This caught the trio's attention. Bellicus wasn't back yet?

There was no time to think. The seven were moving in, and Gideon dove into a pile of leaves and dirt before the guards could see him. However, the rustling caught one guard's attention, and, naturally suspicious, he went to investigate.

He never had the chance to cry out. Gideon leapt out and yanked him into the leaf pile. A wet crunch resounded, followed by a small gurgle. Soon, there was blood flowing out from under the pile.

Now, the remaining six felt the first trickles of fear. It was not enough to make them turn tail and run, but it was enough to get their guard down, and both Kiba and Myu could sense it. As the guards headed towards the pile, Kiba and Myu dropped down, hanging from branches by their legs, and raked their claws upward from the bottoms of two guards' necks to the backs of their heads. They cried out before they died, and the remaining four guards whirled around. Kiba and Myu were caught in mid-retreat.

"It's just a pair of kids!" a guard exclaimed incredulously, before Gideon erupted out of the leaf pile and leapt onto another guard's back as a wolverine, his fangs already sinking into his victim's neck. The soldier was dead before he hit the ground.

Kiba and Myu whirled into action, both of them punching right through two other guards' thick jackets and into their bodies. A good amount of guts and blood spilled out as they pulled back their hands, and then the guards sank to the ground. The guard who had spoken about them being kids was now pulling his spear back to stab and shock Myu. Gideon reacted, slashing a deep wound on the back of the guard's knee to the ankle. The guard screamed in pain, dropping his spear and dropping himself to the ground.

Kiba jumped onto the guard's chest, his paws pressed onto the man's ribs. Gideon and Myu sank their claws into the man's arm, restricting much of his movement. "Monsters…monsters, all three of you! You damn animals!" he wheezed. Then he thought he must have blinked, for all three of them looked like humans one moment, and animals the next.

"Where is the flower? Where does Bellicus plan to take her?" Kiba snarled.

"You're…you're…" The guard did not get to finish his sentence, for Kiba had wrapped his hands around the guard's throat and began to throttle him.

"I don't want your rambling! Tell me where Cheza is!" Kiba roared.

"O-ok! L-Lord Bellicus is taking her to his lab! Just follow the red line on the ground when you go inside the mansion!" the guard cried.

Kiba glared at Gideon. "Is he telling the truth?" Kiba asked.

Gideon glared back. "How the hell should I know? I've only been inside that damn castle once," he snapped.

"I'm telling the truth! I'm telling the truth, I swear I'm telling the truth!" the guard panicked, flailing his arms when Kiba's hands tightened around his throat. He began to look a little pale as well.

"You better be!" Kiba threw the guard's head down and pressed into the man's chest to leap off. Gideon and Myu did the same. "Let's go!" Kiba snapped, taking the lead. Unbeknownst to them, the guard had snatched up his spear, and despite his wounded leg, shot up, his spear ready to strike.

"You should never turn your back to your enemy!" he screamed with delight, the point of his spear aimed at Myu's head. Unfortunately him, the caracal ducked and grabbed the spear's shaft before ramming her elbow into the man's stomach. Gideon followed by ripping the man's left arm off. "Aaaaagh! My arm! My arm! You damn…gaah!" Gideon interrupted his screaming by knocking the wind out of him with a well-placed punch.

"When you come to, and Bellicus finds out struggling, bleeding and near death, you tell him this; Gideon is back," Gideon whispered as the man fell unconscious.

"Let's move," Kiba growled.

"Does Bellicus even know your name?" Myu asked.

"…Probably not," Gideon answered, and Myu sighed.

The trio climbed in through an open window, knocking two passing guards unconscious with their landing. "The alert is probably up. It won't be easy to sneak past all those people," Gideon said. All of them could hear the pounding of running humans as well as shouts.

"Then I have a better idea. You and I will disguise ourselves as some of Bellicus's men with the uniforms we have here. We'll pretend to have captured Myu, and the rest will play out," Kiba said, already stripping one of the guards.

"Why do I have to be the captured one?" Myu complained.

"It doesn't look like Bellicus has any female soldiers. Besides, humans always attack the weak opponents. In their opinion, it's usually the women and children. Turn around," Gideon said, stripping the other guard's clothes off. Myu grumbled to herself as she turned around.

"All right." Kiba roughly seized Myu's arms and locked them into a tight vice grip behind her back. Gideon kept a hand on her back. "Try to act like you're resisting," he whispered.

Myu gave him a small smirk. "Who's acting?" she asked, before thrashing around violently in Kiba's grip and trying to put up resistance with her feet. "Let me go, damn it! Let me go!" Nonetheless, Gideon shoved her along, moving with much less trouble than Kiba, who found it surprisingly difficult to restrain Myu's movements.

After a few hallways of randomly wandering around, Myu's screams attracted the attention of several other guards. "You caught one, great! Just take it to the dungeon! The other two should still be around here!" one of them exclaimed.

"Can some of you come with us? We're kind of new, and besides, she's quite a feisty one," Gideon said with a forced light voice.

"You're kind of tense! Did she really cause that much trouble?" another guard asked, stroking Myu's chin and barely retracting his fingers in time to avoid Myu's fangs.

"See that? I think she's something called a caracal. Those teeth would have snapped your fingers off," Kiba laughed. Gideon grinned. For animals, they were very good actors.

"Fine, the other squadrons should be enough to find the others. There are only two of them left and Lord Bellicus should be returning soon." The other guards nodded in agreement, and the entire group led them to a locked door. A guard opened the door and they took Kiba, Myu, and Gideon into a hallway that diverged into three paths. "The dungeon is down the right path," one of the guards said.

Gideon glanced at Kiba, who met his eyes in a silent understanding. There were only six guards. This wouldn't take long at all. Kiba then tapped Myu twice on the back, and she nodded, signaling her readiness.

"What are you—agh!" One of the guards had begun to speak when Kiba punched him partially into the wall while Gideon shoved the door closed.

"What the hell?!" Another guard met his unconsciousness when Gideon struck him in the face.

"You're the intruders! Call for backup!" Two of the soldiers tried to escape, but they had their heads smashed together by Myu. Besides, even if they could get away, they didn't have the strength to pull the heavy door open quickly enough.

The last two guards were the only ones to get slashed. Kiba and Gideon rushed them from both sides as they got their spears out, and the guards weren't quick enough to react as claws slashed their sides. The two predators sealed the deal with kicks to the head as the guards stumbled forward in agony.

"What do we do about the bodies?" Myu asked.

"Nothing, for now. We'll have to go down through one hallway each," Kiba said.

"Split up? Isn't that a little risky?" Myu asked.

"What we're doing is risky. These guys won't be getting up for a while, but by the time they do, they'll have to rely on Bellicus to track us," Gideon said. He walked towards the path of the dungeon. "The dungeon might have some animals there that might sympathize with us. See you around!" He ran off into the shadows.

"Be careful!" Myu called. "All right, then. I'll take the left path. Kiba, take the center." Myu gave him no time for argument, racing down the left path. Kiba smirked as he went down the middle. She was growing, at least.

Now, on to business. He had no idea where the path would lead him, but he was willing to go through hell to find Cheza. She was an essential part of his life—of all his lives. If he didn't find her, not only would the lives of his past pack members be wasted, but his life would also turn meaningless. Paradise was not worth it if he could not have her by his side.

As he padded up a winding staircase, his thoughts were interrupted by a familiar scent coming from beyond the walls. Kiba raced to a nearby window, and his eyes immediately fastened onto a descending point of light, almost like a falling star.

However, he soon discovered it was not a star. The dark clouds made the moment even more nostalgic. Kiba could smell it. The scent was overpowering. "Cheza!" Kiba whispered. He raced up the stairs as a wolf, determined to get as high as possible. Every time he passed a window, Cheza's form got closer and closer. She was twirling with her arms out, a dance that the white wolf was all too familiar with. By the time he reached the top and threw open the doorway to Bellicus's roof, Cheza's scent was overpowering.

Kiba gasped. The scene…it was all the same. Green grass. Several small waterfalls that flooded into a lake. Assorted flowers, and the ruins of old stone structures. It was all almost an exact replica of the garden in Darcia's castle. And when Kiba looked towards the lake, what he saw was half expected.

A lovely girl sat on one of the stone structures that had collapsed into the lake. Her lithe, thin frame and her short pale pink hair were both all too familiar. Her face was down, but he knew she was aware of his presence, or else she soon would be.

Sure enough, her face turned towards him, opening those red eyes that had been such a constant in his lives. They were connected to each other by thousands upon thousands of millennia, and despite not having seen each other for many of those millennia, whenever they met, there was never a failure of recognition. They knew each other instantly.

This time was no different. As Cheza slid off the rock to stand in the water, Kiba walked towards her as a human, as slowly as he did during their first meeting in their last lifetime together. Even though she was a constant, she never failed to render him awestruck with exposure to her presence after countless years of being apart.

"Cheza," Kiba whispered, a rare tender smile on his face.

Cheza's eyes brightened, and she smiled as well. As a wolf, she padded towards him, her head dipped in submission and perhaps a little shyness. The next moment, she was gently licking his face, her sweet breath ruffling his fur. "We meet…at last," she whispered.

"We meet again. And we must find Paradise once more. Can you lead me to the pack members that we must travel with this time? Have you found them?" Kiba asked.

"No. You already have," Cheza said. Kiba was confused for a bit, and then he realized what she meant.

"But…they can't even get into Paradise," Kiba protested.

Cheza put a finger to his lips. "They are the only ones that are even capable of helping us. This world is even more depraved than the last one. The wolves here are all incapable of helping us. They are our only hope," she said. She looked past him, as if expecting to see them right behind him. "Where are they?"

Kiba knew better than to argue with her case. "We…" He never got to finish. The ground opened up beneath them, and both wolves fell down, eventually landing in a chain net.

"Hello, little wolf," Bellicus said.

"Let us out," Kiba ordered, keeping his voice even.

"No, I'm afraid I can't do that. I need both of you to find Paradise, after all," Bellicus drawled, walking over to a display of large screens. The two biggest ones the two that Kiba had to find at this moment. One showed Myu and the other showed Gideon. "Let's play around with them a bit, shall we?"

_With Myu…_

After she left Kiba behind, Myu found herself going in a straight line with no twists or turns. Surprisingly, there were no traps down this way. She refused to believe that Gideon had lied to her, although the thought did exist as a fleeting wisp in her mind.

Before long, she could see an animal's shadow in the dim light. She immediately got into a position ready to fight. From the way the other animal moved, she guessed that it was also ready to fight. Slowly, she padded towards the creature. The closer she moved, the closer it moved. "I mean you no harm," she called. The animal did not reply, and it grew ever closer.

A realization began to take place in her mind as she neared the animal. Her suspicion was soon confirmed; the creature was her own reflection! It was a mirror, and the hallway was a dead end! Myu turned around to bolt, but a steel barred gate slammed down in front of her while strange mechanical tendril cuffs flew out of the floor and clamped onto her limbs and neck before she could dodge. As much as she struggled, the machines were able to extend their limbs, and she could not move far enough to break them to their limits.

"_Such a prize catch." _Myu stiffened. She knew that voice as the one belonging to Bellicus. Although she could not see him, his voice was unmistakable. _"Tell me, kitty…how shall I manipulate you?" _

"Where are you?! When I get out of here and have my claws in you, you'll regret ever doing what you did to Gideon and Lilia!" Myu screamed.

"_Whomever do you mean? Ah, you mean the two wolverines! They have such a tragic story, don't they? The older brother, whose job it was to protect his younger sister, ended up killing her instead. But it was she who killed their parents, so I suppose it was fitting," _Bellicus said.

"Do you have any idea how much pain you put Gideon through?! You piece of filth!" Myu cried, struggling against her bonds.

"_I see…so that's how it is…you, a caracal, have feelings for that wolverine!" _Myu stiffened. _"I wonder how he feels about you? Aha! I know how to find out as well!" _Another tendril snaked out of the ground, this one holding a needled bottle of bright red liquid. Myu began to quiver. She had a feeling of what it was. 

"No…no, please, not that!" she screamed.

"_So you know what this is? That makes it all the more fun!" _

"No, please, I'm begging you! Don't put that inside me!" Myu pleaded. But it was too late. The needle plunged into Myu's withers and injected the rage potion into her body. Within seconds, her mind began to fog and she was beginning to see red. An uncontrollable fury began to grow within her heart.

"_If you wish to see your precious wolverine, then I will take you to him." _A doorway revealed itself as the tendrils slid back into the ground. The last thing Myu's conscious mind felt was her own body racing into the doorway and the shadows it held.

_With Gideon… _

Gideon knew he had little time. The dungeon was generally a place where Bellicus left his prisoners to die, otherwise it was a feeding ground in which he selected his test subjects. Some of the prisoners were animals and others were humans, but all of them lost most of their chances of long-term survival when Bellicus took captured them. Anyone with that cruel development in his or her lives could very well expect death at young age.

It was for this reason that Gideon sought them out. He was certain that there would be supporters within the dungeon. The prisoners were kept under electronic locks with the control system conveniently located in the area itself. Gideon had a clear view of the buttons during his short time as Bellicus's prisoner. Though he could not read, it seemed obvious to him. There were two buttons corresponding to each cell, a red one and a green one. The green button released the locks on the cells they corresponded to, and the red button did the opposite. Freedom was something all beings longed for, and Gideon planned to use this as a bargaining chip.

A scent of dead flesh had been growing stronger the more Gideon traveled down the hallway. He was rather surprised that Bellicus had not activated any traps by now. Still, that made him all the more wary. Even though the door leading into the dungeon was unlocked and made of wood rather than steel, Gideon kept his guard up. He couldn't relax.

In the jail, the scent of dead flesh was overwhelming. Still, Gideon tried to speak. "Hello! Is anyone there?" There was no answer. "My name is Gideon! I have a favor to ask of you!" Again, no answer! "Call it out if you can hear me! I mean you no harm!"

Strange. Bellicus always had a test subject or two in reserve down here. Gideon walked deeper into the room, heading for the control system in the center. As soon as he pressed a green button, though, a loud buzzer sounded. The next thing Gideon knew, he was trapped in a heavy steel cage that suddenly dropped down from the ceiling. Gideon snarled in surprise, and then rage. Futilely, he applied his teeth to the thick bars, but they hardly bent.

"_Well, well, well. If it isn't my former test subject."_ Gideon knew that voice anywhere.

"Bellicus! Let me out of here!" Gideon roared, throwing his weight against the bars.

"_That will not work, little kit. Did you honestly believe that you would be able to save Cheza by breaking into my stronghold like this? How naïve," _Bellicus drawled.

"Where is Cheza?!"Gideon demanded.

"_All in good time, little kit. But for now, please tell me, have you been wondering how your friends are?" _Bellicus asked.

"Leave them alone and show yourself! Fight me!" Gideon demanded.

"_No, I'm afraid that's out of the question. What of your feelings for that cute little caracal?" _Bellicus asked.

"Just let her go free! She means nothing!" Gideon roared.

"_Oh, I'm afraid that wasn't the correct thing to say…" _

"What are you implying?!" Gideon demanded. He was slightly confused now.

"_Look to your left," _Bellicus said.

Gideon suddenly caught a scent that had not been there before. Slowly, he did as Bellicus said, and his eyes saw the exact reason why Bellicus had been so taunting.

Coming out from the doorway was Myu. Her amber eyes were wide with shock and hurt. "Gideon…is that true? Do I really…?"

The cage raised up, but Gideon couldn't care less. She had heard him. "Myu…it…I never…" She didn't give him the chance to explain. For the first time in her life, the caracal attacked the wolverine with pure rage and pinned him down. Her paws were pressed into his chest. Still, Gideon was much stronger than she was, and easily kept her from killing him. Still, the red eyes were unmistakable, and Gideon was filled with a terrible, raging pain as he threw her off.

"BELLICUS! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" he roared. He could hear Bellicus laughing cruelly.

"_What's the matter, little kit? What will it be? Will you kill her like you did your sister? There is no chance of saving her…she has been injected with the pure, undiluted version rather than the prototype I gave you," _Bellicus taunted.

"No way in hell…" Gideon sidestepped Myu's claws. "I'm going to keep her alive! I will not kill her! I will save her!" He turned towards her. "Myu! Myu, please wake up! It's me!" Myu did not listen, instead opting to ram him.

"You…I meant nothing…you accursed, lying, son of a…" Myu ranted.

"MYU!" Gideon shouted, desperation clear in his voice. But Myu did not hear it, rushing at Gideon again. As the animals fought, one could easily hear Bellicus's cruel laughter at this show.

**And that's that. I would leave it for another two weeks, but I must admit, I'm getting more excited. I won't make any promises, but perhaps I will make another update within the next week. If not, then sit tight. I don't plan on letting this story go. **

**Please leave a comment below. **


	9. Battle Within the Manor

**I don't know what to say, really. Just read and review. Haters and trolls, get the hell out. I have no interest in nameless idiots. **

"Let Myu go!" Kiba roared.

"Oh, I can't. I usually give my test subjects for the potion a diluted form of it. However, I gave the little caracal the pure, undiluted kind. It is much more powerful than what I gave to the two wolverines, and it has an indefinite time span. I'm afraid that your friends are both doomed. One of them has to die, and the other will be heartbroken," Bellicus teased.

"No," Cheza said. Both Kiba and Bellicus looked at her. "Gideon will not kill Myu. This one knows it. Gideon knew that Lilia was beyond help, and so he killed her. But Myu is different." She turned her eyes to the clashing animals on the screen. "Myu fights her own feelings, making them all the more painful to admit. As she fights her own feelings, so too that she is fighting her own rage. Neither of them will die here, Bellicus."

Bellicus's wolf's eye fixed Cheza in its glare, but she faced it unflinchingly. "We will see, flower maiden," he growled, before turning back to taunt Gideon through the microphone. He didn't notice or even expect Kiba to bring his claws into play.

_Meanwhile…_

"_There's no point in running, you know. Myu knows wherever you will hide…"_ Bellicus taunted as Gideon ducked behind a stack of crates. Myu proved this point by promptly shattering the wood.

Gideon quickly noticed her splintered fingers. "Are you all right?" he asked.

Myu yanked the splinters out, and then attacked him again. "Worry about yourself!" she snapped. Gideon easily avoided taking much damage, but despite his calm facial expression, he was torn up with rage inside. To him, Bellicus had just sunk to a new low. Infecting Lilia was one thing, but Myu? Gideon would not grant him a swift death.

With a roar, Gideon rammed Myu into the bars of a cage. Instead of immediately getting up though, Myu simply struggled up, as if the impact had shattered her bones. "Why? Why would you do that…?" she wondered, her eyes tearing up. Gideon tilted his head in confusion. "All I wanted…was to be admired…to be as strong as you or Kiba, so that you wouldn't have to protect me anymore…"

"If that's so, then what the hell do you think you're doing?" Gideon growled, with his hackles raised.

"Proving my strength!" Myu roared, charging again. Her claws flew towards Gideon, but the wolverine caught them with his own. "I will show you, so that you will see me not as a female, but an equal! Someone whom you can admire, and pine after!"

_Pine after? _Gideon thought as Myu began to snap at his face. He got a nip to the ear, but seeing as how the alternative was fangs sinking into his skull, perhaps a nicked ear wasn't so bad. Myu then surprised him by falling back and raking her hind claws through his underside. Though the wound wasn't fatal, Gideon howled in real pain, retreating a fair distance. However, Myu followed him, ready to slash his face. Gideon recovered quickly, and instead of Myu getting his face, Gideon sidestepped her attack and slashed her left side as he went by. This time, Myu screamed in pain, but again, the wound wasn't fatal.

"Myu, why would you think that I didn't admire you?" Gideon asked.

"You said it yourself! That I meant nothing!" Myu snapped. For once, she didn't attack him, although her pose still suggested that she was ready to.

"Bellicus was after you! He was after all of us! I only wanted to keep him away from you!" Gideon protested.

"I don't need to be protected, Gideon! When will you understand that?!" Myu retorted.

"I do understand…" Gideon began, but Myu cut him off.

"No! You don't understand a thing! You never needed to be protected! All your bragging about being the strongest kit in your litter…claiming all the best hunting spots from your weaker siblings…what do you think I was?!" Myu asked.

"What are you saying?" Gideon asked.

"I was the smallest kit in my litter! I was always being protected by my siblings and parents, doted upon like a little baby! It…it hurt me to think that even my own family thought that I was too weak to fight and live on my own! You could never understand how humiliating it was! You never had to be babied, or hunted for, or even protected!" Myu shouted.

Gideon was silent for a few moments before his glare turned annoyed. "Myu! I was a weakling once, too, you know! Did you forget? All newborns are treated like that until they step into their own fur and see how they do at hunting! I admit, I don't understand how it felt, but I know how it feels to protect the weak! They weren't trying to do it to humiliate you, Myu! They did it because they knew that you were weaker than them, and they wanted to keep you alive until you became stronger! And look at you now! What Bellicus gave you…you're not being strong! You're falling, just like Lilia did!" he exclaimed.

"And she revealed your selfishness to me, Gideon!" Myu growled. Gideon was taken aback. "You killed her! You couldn't live with the fact that you couldn't protect her, so you got rid of her instead! Are you going to do the same to me, too? Are you going to crush my neck because you can't help me? Do you know how much it hurts, Gideon?" Myu looked down at this point, and her eyes, fiery with rage, softened to grief. "It hurts…to think that your own peers see you as weak. You wouldn't understand how I feel when I look at you. You're strong, steadfast, and full of conviction. I want you to look at me, to understand me. You don't know how it feels…"

She was taken by surprise when Gideon slammed into her and pinned her under her body. Still, she didn't care. "So this is how it ends. Very well, then. Kill me now and be done with it. I tried to show you my strength, and I still lost. For killing me, I will always hate you, Gideon!" she snapped, turning her face away and closing her eyes as Gideon's fangs loomed above her. Their blood began to pool on the ground, mixing together.

However, Gideon didn't attack her. "Look at me, Myu," Gideon commanded. Myu didn't listen. "Look at me." She still ignored him. "Look at me, damn it!" At this thunderous command, Myu opened her eyes, still red from the rage potion. Gideon's eyes, on the other hand, were filled with sadness, although he still kept a firm grip on her. "I may not understand how you feel, but you are being so pathetically weak right now. If you give in to the effects of the potion, then you are weak! You will no longer be an animal! That potion does not give you strength!"

"What do you know?" Myu asked reproachfully.

"Look, that potion isn't about giving you extra power, even though it's a side effect. Whoever takes that potion is Bellicus's underling. It's a weapon. Bellicus uses it to kill off any threats to him, and then kill off the victim as well! I know because I took it once, and Bellicus commanded my loyalty for the short time it was in effect! And look at Lilia! She was completely subservient to that bastard!" Gideon growled. Bellicus grumbled at the insult. "Shut up, Bellicus!" Gideon ordered, turning to look up. Then he turned back to Myu and continued. "If you continue the way you are, then you'll be his servant, his tool, his _bitch_. You're not even a canine and I'm calling you that!"

"You don't how I feel…" Myu sobbed, the grief in her eyes increasing.

"I don't know how it feels to be babied, but protecting someone means you care about them, Myu. Your family cared about you, and both Kiba and I do as well. I did the same for Lilia whenever there was something I thought she couldn't handle. And besides…" Gideon gently licked the tears out of her eyes, ignoring her struggles. "I do know your important feelings."

"Like what?" Myu challenged.

Gideon paused to think a little. "I know how happy you are whenever you see a rare sunset, or even a sunrise." Myu's eyes widened slightly, and the redness lost some brightness. "I know how grief-struck you are whenever a living thing is dying agonizingly slowly right in front of you, and when you move in for the kill, you feel guilty for not being able to help it in any other way." Myu was surprised that he noticed that. Her heart was beginning to beat faster. "I know how content you are when you sleep next to me, seeking my comfort after a nightmare." Myu looked away at this, and Gideon smiled. "I know how you feel beneath my paws right now. I can feel your heartbeat." The red was almost completely gone. "You're right. I don't know all the things you feel, but I know a lot. Just focus on that, all right? And before you try to struggle again," he noticed her eyes beginning to brighten red again after his earlier statement, "I want you to tell me something. I know how reassuring it is for me when I turn to my direct left or right and see you walking by my side. I want you by my side, always. How do you feel?"

"Are we partners, Gideon?" Myu asked.

Gideon was slightly confused at the question change, but answered it anyway. "That's up to you to decide," he said.

Myu thought about his words, and when she opened her eyes, all of the red was gone, replaced by the natural yellow eyes of a caracal. "You make me feel safe. I know that you will always try to protect me. But I don't need to be protected, Gideon. I can take care of myself," she said.

"I know. You killed that deer like a master of hunting, and when you strike, you strike with no hesitation. I even saw you hang by your teeth on that other deer's neck, which allowed Kiba to get the finishing blow. Not only are you a capable hunter now, but you also know how to exploit your abilities to help your partners. Quick thinking, tough grip to beat, and even speed and agility. They are all things to admire," Gideon said.

"You know what else I think you should have included?" Myu asked. Gideon raised an eyebrow. "My ability to put up with your antics. Get off of me." Gideon's eyes widened slightly, and he quickly did so.

"Sorry, I kind of got caught up in the moment," Gideon said. Myu smiled.

"_Bah! How boring!" _Bellicus complained.

"Oh, yeah. He's listening in. Shall we make ourselves scarce?" Gideon asked.

"Kiba may need our help," Myu agreed. As they walked out, Bellicus's voice sounded again.

"_Fine. Do as you wish. Kiba and Cheza are both right here with me! And unless you want to receive their hole-filled bodies, you will do exactly as I say," _Bellicus demanded.

"Oh, I doubt that," Gideon said, not looking back.

"_Why? I can prove it!"_ Bellicus insisted.

"No need. You underestimate the wolves, Bellicus," Myu said calmly.

"_What are you talking about?! They're right…"_ There was a pause. _"What the…! They're gone! Where are they?! What have you done?!"_

"That's our cue," Myu said, before laughing as Gideon took her hand and pulled her along with him, even though it was hardly necessary. They both laughed harder as Bellicus began to rant on the speakers.

"_Guards! Find the intruders! They are all inside the mansion! Search every inch of it!" _

_Meanwhile…_

Kiba and Cheza had escaped a few minutes ago, when Bellicus's attention was completely drawn to the fight between Gideon and Myu. Now, they had just heard Bellicus's announcement. Cheza was easily keeping pace with Kiba as he pulled her along. "The other two…are not in the vicinity," she said.

"They went down a different path. We should be able to rendezvous with them if we get back to that crossroads!" Kiba replied. Cheza said nothing more, and before long they reached the fork in the hallway. Unfortunately, they met up with something else. A group of ten guards was in their path. If Gideon and Myu had been with them, they would have taken out the guards, albeit with some minor wounds. However, all Kiba had was Cheza. She would be of little help in a fight, and even so, Kiba did not want any harm to come to her.

"Stop! You are to return the flower maiden immediately, intruder!" one man said.

"Not gonna happen," Kiba growled, stepping in front of Cheza.

"Very well." The guards raised their spears. Kiba was debating whether to fight or flee when Cheza stepped out from behind him.

"Please let us pass," she said.

"Huh? No way! Lord Bellicus ordered us to stop that intruder," the leader said.

"You are going to let us pass," Cheza repeated with more force than before. When the guards saw that she would not give in, they looked at each other in confusion. Would they be punished for forcibly apprehending the flower maiden too? Bellicus had made it perfectly clear that she was to be treated gently. After a few seconds of consideration, the guard leader made a decision.

With a grunt, he thrust the spear towards Cheza. Kiba held his breath for a millisecond before moving in to kill the guard. It was hardly necessary, however. The delicate-looking flower maiden calmly leapt onto the spear's shaft before using it as a launching pad to kick the attacker in the face before landing gracefully. Despite the fact that her feet were shoeless; indeed, the only thing keeping her being totally barefoot was her thin bodysuit, the guard still reeled back in pain, his nose bleeding.

"Gah! How did…" The man never a chance to finish. Kiba silenced him with a punch to the gut. That set the others off.

"Get them!"

Kiba and Cheza didn't hesitate. The flower wolf let the white wolf pick her up as he leapt clear over the soldiers and headed down the path that Gideon took. Behind them, the guards quickly shook off their confusion and gave chase, screaming in rage.

The two wolves caught wind of a scent before long, and Gideon and Myu reappeared a minute after that. "Oh, hey, Kiba!" Gideon greeted amiably as they came within sight of each other.

"Talk later, run now!" Kiba ordered as he went sprinting past.

"What?" Myu asked as she and Gideon stopped to look at the fleeing wolf. Then Gideon turned around and saw the group of guards, which by now had grown to the size of thirty.

Both animals couldn't care less. Over the next few seconds, two things happened. One: both pairs of eyes widened in the first second and two: both Gideon and Myu spent the other few seconds running like hell to catch up with Kiba. "Why, oh why, did you have to bring us into this situation?" Gideon complained.

"I don't know!" Kiba replied. While the two males were busy arguing, the two females were establishing a new friendship.

"You are Myu. This one's name is Cheza," Cheza said. Myu smiled. She was just like Kiba described. Delicate, soft-spoken, and very, very pretty, even with her completely red eyes.

"Come to think of it, what's down this path?" Kiba asked.

"Bellicus's jail, but no one answered when I called out. Still, we should keep our guard up. For all I know, we could walk straight into trouble. Just because no one answered when I called out doesn't mean that there's no one there," Gideon said. Kiba nodded in agreement.

When they reached the jail, there was no one there, as Gideon had said. Still, Gideon and Myu took the liberty of closing the door and shutting it with a metal pipe through the handle, as well as stacking up a few box cages and the torn-up control panel.

"That won't hold for long, so we'll have to improvise. Search for a window!" Kiba ordered.

"Before that, please put this one down, Kiba," Cheza said. Kiba blushed and did as she told. Before they could search, though, they were interrupted by a sinister and familiar voice.

"That was far too easy," it said.

"Son of a…" Gideon growled as their eyes turned to Bellicus, who seemed to have been waiting for them. "You are going to get out of our way right now, or win an trip to hell," he said.

"No. I'll send all of you to hell," Bellicus answered. The group dropped their human images; it was pointless. Bellicus could see their true forms with his wolf's eye anyway.

"All of us? Including this one?" Cheza asked, an unusual glare on her face.

"Contrary to what you believe, I have no interest in Paradise. Now that I've given him all the information he needs, and I have been sufficiently paid, I might as well eliminate you all. He has promised me another reward for doing so, after all," Bellicus said.

"So you're doing for a reward that consists of something completely unnecessary in life. How utterly ridiculous," Gideon said.

"As do you. Why do you and Myu search for Paradise when you cannot even enter it?" Bellicus asked.

"We're doing it to save this pathetic excuse for a world. By looking for Paradise, we give the world another chance," Myu said.

"But why? Both of you hate this world, don't you? The pain of losing loved ones…both of you are angry at the world for taking those loved ones from you. So why do you want to help it?" Bellicus pressed.

"We don't hate the world; we simply hate the humans! People like you are why the world is like it is today!" Gideon roared before attacking. Bellicus drew his sword and slashed at the smaller creature, but Gideon was far faster than that.

"You hate the humans? Interesting. And yet you choose to look like them," Bellicus mused as Gideon moved backwards to stand with his allies.

"It's because of the humans' idiotic fear of us that we have to look like this!" Myu screamed as she and Kiba surged forward to attack Bellicus on two sides. The noble ducked under Myu's blow before punching her in the midsection, sending her flying back. As for Kiba, the wolf managed to get a hit in, but so did Bellicus as they passed each other.

The scene was all too familiar. The white wolf and the wolf-eyed human glanced at each other, both with cuts on their cheeks. Gideon and Myu were about to attack again when Kiba snarled ferociously at them. "Don't interfere," he rumbled in such a frightening tone that both Gideon and Myu decided against attacking. Even Cheza, who traveled with Kiba many times, quailed in fear.

"I will end this, wolf," Bellicus said.

"Not on your life!" Kiba roared. He rushed Bellicus and began to fight with all the ferocity of his years. As he and Bellicus circled and passed each other, one or the other or both with new wounds, Kiba began to remember. All the fights, lives, and deaths that he had been through came rushing back to him now. It was always five wolves, including himself, and Cheza.

In that first life, with the two twin pups, his brother from that time, and his brother's mate, Kiba and his pack hadn't even gotten close to Paradise. The two pups, Rystar and Denzi, died in the middle against a bear, while his brother and sister-in-law, Aidan and Beria, were both murdered by the psychopathic woman who thought that finding Paradise would bring back her loved one. Kiba had killed her, but both he and Cheza had died from wounds shortly after.

Then there was his second life, which ended not much better than the first one. His pack consisted of his parents, a rogue wolf that had been harassing Kiba's pack, and his young nephew. His parents, Kurou and Kirsi, died protecting the pack from other wolves. The rogue, Arnan, followed that path after he drowned in the ocean. His nephew, Cyril, had looked at Kiba and Cheza like they were his own parents, but all three of them were eventually burned alive, along with the young prince who deluded himself into thinking that his father had gone looking for Paradise, found it, but then stayed there.

His third life was much more…interesting. For one thing, his pack consisted of his three siblings, as well as a love-struck female wolf that was completely enamored with him. While Kiba was flattered, his heart belonged to Cheza. That life, they had gotten very close to Paradise, and Kiba let his hopes up. Unfortunately, his brothers, Ryuga and Shinji, lost their lives after a series of earthquakes. Ryuga fell through a great gash in the earth, and Shinji was crushed under falling rocks. His sister, Lapis, and his admirer, Opal, fell against the villain of that time, an insane scientist with very powerful laser cannons who had wanted to study Paradise. Cheza had sacrificed herself to distract the man, so that Kiba could sink his fangs into his neck. Unfortunately, the dying freak got the last laugh. Right before his death, he had managed to sink a knife into one of Kiba's major veins, and despite all his efforts, Kiba died of blood loss before reaching the gate.

Finally, there was his fourth and previous life. It was his favorite one yet. Tsume, the tough fighter. Toboe, the gentle spirit with a hidden violence. Hige, the joker. Blue, Hige's mate and a steadfast companion. And Blue wasn't even a full wolf. She was a half-breed wolfdog. Despite this, Cheza had chosen her for a reason, and Kiba soon found that this pack was the strongest pack yet. Some humans had even joined on their quest for Paradise, and although their names escaped Kiba, and died shortly after they joined, the wolf would always admire their spirits. They had come the closest to reaching Paradise then. But that bastard Darcia, the first villainous human-turned-wolf, had killed all of them off. Darcia was the first enemy that Kiba could not defeat, even with his pack beside him. Because of him, Kiba and Cheza had failed at the eleventh hour.

All the rage from those times came flooding back now, and Kiba thought he could feel the spirits of his previous pack members flowing beside him. Sixteen wolves, the mightiest of packs, stretching beyond time worth countless eons. All of these wolves were connected, bonded through time and space under a single alpha pair: Kiba and Cheza. And although they had never mated, the bond that they shared, which could never be described with words, was and would be literally almost everlasting.

It was from that bond that Kiba drew strength. All those times that Cheza lamented for her beloved wolves came back to Kiba. "Cheza…I fight for you. Give me strength," Kiba muttered as he lunged.

Bellicus had heard him. "Your precious flower maiden? Ridiculous. You fight for an empty cause, wolf. Surrender, and I will spare your lives," he said, before grimacing in pain as Kiba's claws scored across his side.

"I've been faced with that choice dozens of times. And I've always refused to give up. I fight for a future. I fight for those who have given up their lives. And I fight for the one who has always been by my side ever since the dawn of time," Kiba looked at Cheza, who gazed back with love in her eyes. _I fight for you,_ Kiba thought. Although not a word passed between them, an understanding had passed between these two wolves, and Cheza nodded, closing her eyes.

"Do not get distracted!" Bellicus growled as his sword crashed down to the ground, missing Kiba once more. Kiba snarled viciously once more, and, moving faster than he'd ever had in all his lives, ripped off Bellicus's non-sword arm before tossing the bloody tendril away, leaving a ragged stump.

It didn't take long for Bellicus to react. When he did, it was through a scream. "My arm! You ripped off my arm!" he roared in pain, a large fountain of blood gushing out of the hole as he glared at Kiba with pure, undisguised hatred.

"You lose, Bellicus," Kiba growled.

"Never!" Bellicus roared, attacking one last time, resisting the excruciating pain.

However, Cheza finally made her move. She began to hum in a tune that was all too familiar to Kiba. It was her song, her lullaby. Sometimes it put him to sleep and purified his resulting dreams, other times it healed his wounds. Now, he felt completely rejuvenated, and his wounds stopped hurting.

_Shailoh Shailoh, yatreet ka...  
Shailoh shna.. otvit ka...  
Hahla Hahla.. ahlah hah...  
Shailoh washnee  
fortee ney...  
Shailoh Shailoh, yatreet ka...  
Omen nio hah...  
Shailoh Shailoh, yatreet ka...  
Shailoh shna.. otvit ka...  
Hahla Hahla.. ahlah hah...  
Shailoh washnee  
fortee ney..._

The song awakened a new passion within Kiba, and he let out a monstrous growl filled with primal instinct. With a huge bound, Kiba leapt onto Bellicus and sank his fangs into Bellicus's neck, crushing his windpipe just as he had so many others.

**And that's how I'll end it for now. I think I may have a slight problem with the main character ripping off the opponent's arm. I've done it too many times recently. Maybe it was because of that hilarious scene from **_**Monty Python and the Holy Grail**_**. If you haven't seen it, go watch it. It will keep you laughing at its sheer ridiculousness. **

**Anyway, please review. **


	10. Guilt And Regret

**More than a month since the last update. I have been noticing a trend lately. Still, this time, you can blame a new story. It was very enjoyable to write, really. **

"I was hoping to kill Bellicus myself, but it seems I've been beaten to the punch," Gideon growled.

"No…Kiba was simply too demanding about killing Bellicus…so much so that the both of you were frightened for a few minutes…" Cheza said, a light teasing tone in her voice.

Gideon sniffed and turned his face away. "I wasn't scared. It was Myu," he denied.

"Believe what you wish, little kit," Cheza teased, not acknowledging the indignant look that Gideon gave her, nor did Gideon acknowledge the same type of look that Myu gave him for his earlier comment.

"Guys! The guards are about to break in!" Myu cried, pointing at the door. The makeshift barrier that they had put there was beginning to shake as the metal bar between the handles started to crack from all the crashing outside.

Gideon snapped to attention. "Kiba! Toss me Bellicus's body!" he called.

Kiba looked confused, but did as Gideon said. The wolverine caught the corpse and looked down on it for a second. "The tide has turned, you psychotic bastard," he growled. Another crash turned his attention back to the door. "I'll toss the corpse into their line of sight, which should distract them for just a few seconds. Use the opportunity to tear right through them."

"That is a little too reckless for me…but I don't see any other options," Kiba said.

"This one trusts you to take care of this one, Kiba," Cheza said.

Gideon grinned as Kiba picked Cheza up again. "That settles that. Are you ready, Myu?" he asked, looking at her. He was greeted with a helpless look.

"Do we have to keep on killing them?" Myu asked, her eyes brimming with tears.

Gideon's eyes softened. This was not a new discussion. Myu had always been a bit squeamish about kills she believed were unnecessary. "I'll talk to you later about it, all right?" he offered. Myu nodded as Kiba and Cheza looked on in with a mix of sadness and understanding.

"They are about to break in," Cheza commented, pointing. The barrier was indeed about to give way. The pipe was bent at the center to an angle, and only a few more shoves would be needed to break it completely, as well as knock down the tower of cages and control panel.

"Get ready," Kiba said, getting ready to spring. Myu got into a fighting position while Gideon cocked his head back, Bellicus's body clenched in his teeth.

"There they are!" the first soldier who came in yelled. He was about to rush in when Gideon hurled the corpse at them. As expected, the body stopped them in their tracks.

"What?"

"What is that?"

"It can't be…!"

"It's Lord Bellicus!"

"They killed him!"

"Lord Bellicus is dead!"

"Impossible!"

"Go!" Kiba roared. They sprinted forward, Gideon and Myu ready to cut the guards down. The guards, still distracted by Bellicus's body, screamed as the claws and fangs of the two predators almost literally opened a path paved with blood and gore.

Although all of them, except for Cheza, suffered some wounds from the few soldiers who were actually smart enough to react, the group managed to break through and begin to flee. A few seconds later, cries and shouts from the surviving guards signaled the restart of the chase.

"How long can we run? Where do we even go?" Gideon asked.

"Wherever Cheza tells us to go. She will lead us to Paradise," Kiba replied.

"Fine, but we decide on how we're going to do that after we get out of here," Gideon said.

"Agreed," Kiba said.

They continued on their path. At several points during this time, Myu, who had the least endurance out of the running group, stumbled due to her wounds, and Gideon let Kiba take the lead in order hang back and help Myu. After she stumbled a few more times, Gideon let out a huff of frustration and simply began to carry her. "Perhaps I shouldn't have wounded you as badly as I did. I apologize," he said.

"You don't have to do this," Myu sighed.

Gideon smiled down at her. "I've done it quite a few times with you already. Besides, this time, it's my fault," he said, looking slightly regretful.

Myu touched Gideon's cheek. "I told you that you don't have to worry about me. I'm grateful, but let me down soon, all right?" she asked.

Gideon nodded. "Once we're out of the castle," he said.

By now, they had long passed the three-way crossroads. There were some guards who tried to stop them, but could not even hope to catch them. Although the boys were a bit burdened by the weight of the girls, it was a small burden. Gideon claimed to have once dragged a small deer carcass back to his kithood den. While he did get a good scolding from his parents, there was no denying that they were proud of his strength as well. And they had a good dinner that night anyway.

But that's another story. In any case, for Gideon, Myu's weight was not much of a problem for him. And Cheza, who felt as light as a feather in Kiba's arms, was even less of burden to said wolf. It wasn't long before they were able to escape through an open window.

Once outside, the males put the females down, and the four animals bounded through the forest, Gideon leading the way. Kiba, however, had some doubts. "Do you know where you're taking us?" he asked.

"Truthfully? I only have some vague idea. But we can't stay in my family den. Bellicus's guards would find us in a matter of hours," Gideon said.

"This one recalls a secret den of yours somewhere in the surrounding area, Gideon," Cheza said.

This stopped Gideon in his tracks, and as he was the leader, the others stopped as well, looking on as Gideon focused his usual glare on Cheza. She faced it unflinchingly. "I highly doubt it still exists," he said.

"Then we have to take that chance. All of you need your rest. Besides, this is just the reckless choice that you would make, then and now, little kit," Cheza teased lightly. Gideon bristled with indignation at the nickname, and bared his fangs a bit, but at looks from Kiba and Myu, turned away with a huff.

"Don't call me that," Gideon growled. He then bounded off in a different direction, and again, the others followed, but not before exchanging amused looks. Gideon took his pride far too seriously sometimes.

They moved through the trees, carelessly disturbing some animals. Once, they came upon the carcass of the deer that had been brought down the night before, but as they were in a hurry and the body had already been picked a bit by other scavengers, the group hardly spared it a glance, although Gideon did take a moment to rip off a chunk of flesh while he waited for the others to clear the head start that he had taken earlier.

"Glutton," Kiba said when they caught up. Gideon smiled, revealing his teeth, red from blood.

They moved a bit more until they reached an area riddled with boulders. "It should be around here some…ah!" Gideon said, spotting the den. Still, there was no smile or pleasure on his face when they got closer.

"You smell that?" Myu asked.

"Fox. I'll drive them out," Gideon said.

"If there are kits, we leave. I am not in the mood to contend with angry fox parents," Kiba growled.

"Very well," Gideon snapped. He stalked near the fox den and released a vicious growl. A second later, a furry red dart shot out of the den and latched onto Gideon's back. Gideon rolled over once, loosening the fox's grip before he snapped at it. The fox leapt off, snarling.

"Leave, wolverine!" he hissed.

"Why? This is my old den," Gideon said.

"I don't care! My mate is inside, about to have our kits! Stay out!" the fox warned.

"You are no match for me. You know that, right?" Gideon asked. The fox still stood his ground, but for a moment, his eyes revealed his fear.

"Dear? Is something wrong?" a female voice asked.

"Stay inside! There's a…!" A female fox poked her head out, and Gideon instantly turned his glare to her, and she retreated back in fear.

"A-a wolverine...it's been so long…" she whimpered.

"You accursed wolverines have always been terrible animals! Stealing food, dominating territory, eradicating entire populations! Leave!" the male hissed.

Gideon raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" he asked. Kiba, Cheza, and Myu exchanged glances.

"A wolverine killed my family and my mate's just a few years ago!" the fox declared.

At this, Gideon looked sad. "Ah. I was not around. I have a feeling I know which wolverine that was. There was only one wolverine in this area at the time," he said.

"It was you! I would never forget that face!" the fox hissed.

Gideon bowled him over. "You have made a mistake. It was not I. I've already killed the one responsible. You think that you're the only one who's lost their parents?" he snapped. He turned the fox around so that he could see Kiba, Cheza, and Myu. "Look at them! We have all lost our parents! Don't take your anger out on me!"

"Why would you canines travel with this…this…abomination?" the fox asked Kiba and Cheza.

"He has honor, and we trust him. It's as simple as that," Kiba said.

"Honor? Is honor ripping a mere infant from his mother's teats during suckling? Because that's what happened to my mate! Look at her!" The fox gestured furiously at his mate, who was cowering fearfully in the presence of Gideon. "She is terrified of you! Leave!"

Gideon released a vicious growl and stuck his face into mere inches from the fox's. "Have you ever known the pain of believing you killed your entire family for your whole life, and then discovering that your little sister was responsible? How do you think it feels when you find that she had sunk to the lowest of the low by becoming a human's pet? Do you know how it feels to promise to protect your little sister when she is born and then being forced to kill her with your own fangs?! It's terrible! If you think that you're special, then go drown yourself in some river for all I care! I have no interest in dealing with someone as close-minded as you!" Gideon was shouting by then, and tears were streaming out of his eyes. With a glance at his companions, he leaped off, leaving his stunned companions behind.

Myu glared at the fox, who now looked shocked. "Gideon has faced more in his life than you ever will. He may be strong, but he's not invincible. All you've done is remind him of his little sister. He couldn't save her from the human who had brought her into his control. And so, Gideon had to kill her. And then he saved me from the same fate," she hissed.

Even Cheza seemed angry. "This one trusts Gideon. He is the last wolverine, one with a past that no one would wish for. And yet you cannot even look past your hatred. Why did Gideon spare you? Because he did not want another meaningless death," she said, her voice sharply edged.

"I have never seen a fox like you. I always believed your kind were smart. But what you have just done was idiotic. I wish you luck in raising your kits, but we will not bother you anymore, mainly because there is no point in attacking you," Kiba said, before leading Myu and Cheza in the direction that Gideon went.

The foxes could only look on in silence.

They managed to find Gideon next to a tunnel overlaid with fallen tree trunks. However, there was a small hole in the barrier that even Kiba could squeeze into. "This should be enough shelter for one night. After that, we'll go wherever the hell we want to go," Gideon said, an edge to his voice.

"What's the matter with you?" Kiba asked.

Gideon glared at him. "Nothing," he muttered.

"I doubt that," Kiba said, glaring back.

Gideon bared his teeth. "I said it's nothing, so it's nothing!" he snapped. Then he seemed to realize something and turned his face away. "It's getting dark. You guys can go to bed. I'll see what I can do about dragging that deer carcass back here." With that, he bounded off.

"No matter how tough he acts, he cannot fool this one," Cheza sighed.

"Yeah," Kiba agreed. Then he noticed that Myu was looking at the direction that Gideon had leapt off. "Myu, when he gets back, talk to him."

"Why me?" Myu asked.

"You're the only one who can get through that thick skull of his," Kiba said, before leading Cheza into the den. Myu simply stared after them, apprehensive about what she wanted to do.

_Later…_

When Gideon returned later that night with the main body of the deer clenching in his fangs, Myu was waiting for him while Kiba and Cheza slept. "I was under the impression that you would be asleep," Gideon said, spitting out the huge chunk of flesh.

"Kiba asked me to talk to you," Myu said, taking a bite out of the meat, even though she was not very hungry.

"I would have asked you to talk anyway. I said that I would talk to you about the so-called unnecessary killing, right?" Gideon asked.

"I think your issue is more important," Myu said.

"What do you mean?" Gideon asked.

"What happened to Lilia wasn't your fault," Myu said, without warning.

"Why and when would I ever think that it was my fault?" Gideon asked. Still, Myu could see how his hackles flared up when Lilia was mentioned.

"It's obvious. You were so angry at that fox that you revealed something that you wanted to keep well hidden. Even though you say that you had no choice, you still regret it, do you?" Myu asked.

Gideon gave her a sad look that revealed the answer to her question. "I was the oldest and most powerful kit, and though I dominated them in kills and territory, I promised to look after my younger siblings. I said in that rant earlier how much it hurt to kill them. But Lilia…Lilia showed no remorse whatsoever at killing my parents. Perhaps it was my fault."

"It wasn't. You've got to stop blaming yourself," Myu said, moving closer to him.

"You have no idea how I feel!" Gideon exploded, turning on Myu, but not striking her. Suddenly, he realized something, and turned away. "Heh. This is just the opposite of how it was just a few hours ago. I never expected to say those words so soon after you did."

Myu didn't know what to say to that, so she just settled for rubbing her nose to Gideon's withers. He did not react, instead choosing to look out to the night sky. Myu laid down beside him.

"Did you happen to get a weird feeling when Cheza sang that song?" Gideon asked after a few minutes of this.

"What do you mean?" Myu asked.

"It sent chills down my back, but it was also was strangely comforting. I couldn't understand a word, but I knew that it had to deal with wolves," Gideon said.

"I do remember something like that, actually," Myu said. "It was as if I knew that song somehow."

"Me too. At least, I should have known it, even though I'm certain that I have never heard that song before. It's both intriguing and disturbing," Gideon said.

Myu nodded, and they lay there for a few more minutes, just enjoying each other's comfort until Myu broke the silence. "I wish that things were different somehow," she said, leaning just slightly towards Gideon.

"How so?" Gideon asked, not looking at her, although he guessed the answer.

"I don't want to take these human forms. I don't want to kill anyone with this. Animals lived in a perfectly fine lifestyle before humans came along. They fear us, but we fear them even more, and so they do not understand what it means when they kill us in cold blood. When an animal dies, it is natural. But when a human dies…" Myu gained an annoyed glare, although she leaned closer towards Gideon to seek his comfort.

Gideon finished her thought. "Many of them gather together in such idiotically complex mourning rituals. Even wolves, who have the closest to these mourning rituals, merely howl at most. And to most humans, that ritual is dismissed as mere noise. They call themselves the smartest, but the smartest are often unbelievably ignorant. It's disgusting. Add that to the fact that they have accelerated, if not, forced extinction on almost every animal on the planet, and you can easily understand why I hate humans," he said.

"But do they deserve to die? Who are we to force our justice on them? If nature chooses to let them thrive, then why shouldn't they thrive?" Myu asked.

"Because it comes at our, no, nature's expense. At best, humans are only worthy in that they created Cheza, and there are some who choose to save animals. For that, I owe them some gratitude. Still, you are correct in one way. Life is life, and those who take it for no reason are murderers. If you don't want to kill them, then so be it. But I won't just stand around and wait for them to kill us. If finding Paradise will lead to a world ruled by wolves, well, that would be heaven compared to this world," Gideon said.

"So I have to kill them," Myu said.

"You can merely incapacitate them, but there are humans for which incapacitation is not enough. I won't try to lie to you. You will have to kill humans eventually to survive, or maybe even save Kiba, Cheza, or me. But if you need help coping with your guilt, I'll be here, and they'll be here. You're as important to the group as any of us, Myu. Especially with me. Who's the one that always talks to me when I'm feeling as depressed as I was just now?" Gideon asked, allowing Myu to fully lean into him.

"Thank you, Gideon. You're so nice to me, unlike what you were like when we first met," Myu said.

Gideon smirked, thinking of his cold demeanor back then. _I guess even I have someone special to me,_ he thought.

They stayed that way, occasionally taking bites out of the piece of flesh and keeping ravens and other scavengers off it until they had to wake Kiba and Cheza up for their half of the watch.

**And that's that. I won't make any promises, but hopefully the next update will come more quickly. **

**Leave a comment below if you so wish. **


	11. The Past Leaves and Returns

**Monthly updates now. How fun…and annoying. I really want to finish off this story and my other one. **

"What can we do now? Where can we possibly go? Where do we have to go?" Gideon asked the morning after.

"Cheza will take us to Paradise," Kiba said.

Gideon looked at Cheza skeptically. "I still have doubts about that," he said.

"Believe me or not, it's going to happen. But with her, we'll have to be even more careful," Kiba said.

"Why?" Myu asked.

"Cheza is a target. She was created by humans to lead them to Paradise. An artificial flower maiden. Why she is a wolf is beyond me," Kiba said.

"This one was created as a wolf," Cheza said.

"Is that so?" Myu asked, not knowing what else to say. Cheza did not answer, and this resulted in a slightly awkward silence.

"In any case, it's time to head to the edge of the forest. They might still be mourning Bellicus, so this is our chance to move. Just tell me the direction in which you're supposed to go and I'll take you to the closest pathway there," Gideon said.

"You said, "You're". Does that mean you're not coming with us?" Kiba asked.

"What point is there in going with you? This is probably as far as I can travel with you," Gideon said.

"You must come with us, Gideon. And you as well, Myu. This one has foreseen it…only the last wolverine and the last caracal can help us to Paradise," Cheza said.

"What about the wolves?" Myu asked.

"The wolves in this life are hopeless. You saw for yourself how the wolves back in that city were. We need your help," Kiba said.

"You said yourself that you want to see how far you can go. Well, I think that I can go further than this. And so can you," Myu added.

Gideon smirked. "I don't recall actually saying that I wouldn't go," he said. Cheza pointed in a somewhat vague direction, and Gideon grinned before jumping off.

"Why is it that he always gets the last word?" Kiba asked.

"He's like that," Myu answered, before the three animals followed in the direction that Gideon went.

They soon caught up to Gideon and followed him wordlessly for an hour or two. Despite their speed, the forest was huge enough for that amount of time of travel. Bellicus didn't even own all of it. As a result, there were some things that only Gideon knew about.

One of those things was in the area that they were approaching right now. Gideon stopped at a den that seemed very similar to the one that they had stayed in the night before. "What is this, Gideon? Why have you stopped here?" Kiba asked. Gideon began to sniff around the den, and soon found what he was looking for.

"The reason I took so long last night is because I was tracking something. Ah! There they are!" Gideon announced. The others walked up to get a closer look, and they all gasped. Around the den were the faint impressions of a wolverine's track. "They are not mine," Gideon said when Myu turned back to him to ask the question.

Just then, Kiba picked up a scent. "Gideon. Something's inside," he said.

Gideon looked at him in surprise before quickly clearing out a larger hole in the den's entrance. As he did, all of them heard the ragged breathing coming from inside. "Who's there?!" he roared.

"Gideon…is that you?" an old female voice asked.

"That voice…it can't be! How are you…?" Gideon stammered. He dug more furiously now, and soon exposed the creature inside.

It was an old wolverine, female, lying in a pool of blood. "Ah…so it is you, Grandson," she said.

"Grandson?!" Kiba exclaimed. Even Cheza looked mildly surprised.

"Grandmother Visalia…who did this?" Gideon growled, sliding into the den.

"It was…Lilia…" Visalia sighed. Gideon let out a ferocious cry. "Do not let your anger consume you, young one. Especially considering that you were the one responsible for avenging our whole family."

"How did you know…?" Gideon asked.

"I simply know. You remember, do you not? I know that you, the caracal, and the wolves are all searching for the wolves' heaven known as Paradise," Visalia rasped. When Kiba looked at the others nervously, Visalia chuckled. "Do not worry, I have no intention, nay, the strength to even attempt to stop you. But you must remember, Grandson…" Gideon looked at her. "I am dying. But I cannot truly leave this world if you cling to the past. You have spent all your life running from it, and now that it has caught up, you will not let it go. But you must. It is the only way for you to be of any help to them," Visalia said.

"Grandmother…I killed Lilia. How is it that I would not hesitate to kill my own blood, but I would save another, far different from my kind?" Gideon asked. Myu leaned closer.

Visalia touched her nose to his. "That is a question that I cannot answer. It is something that only you can decide. Ask yourself, but let go of the past, and it will never inhibit your judgment. We will always be with you, Gideon, so do not dwell on us," she said.

"Would Lilia forgive me for I have done?" Gideon asked.

"She has always loved and looked up to you, Gideon, despite her last words. She had followed the wrong path, and could not vent her feelings, unlike you. Perhaps that was your fault. You always acted separately from the rest of the family, so perhaps she thought that you would not understand how she felt. Still, she was your sister. I have little doubt that she feels nothing but gratitude towards you," Visalia comforted.

Gideon buried his nose into Visalia's fur. "I've missed listening to you, Grandmother," he said.

"Go now. My den is a secret tunnel that leads out of the forest and Bellicus's territory. Bury the entrance here and now, and let my body rest here," Visalia said. When Gideon hesitated, Visalia added more forcefully, "It is time to let go of the past, Grandson!"

Gideon turned away. "Very well. Kiba? Will you…please…"

Kiba did not hesitate. "Myu! Help me drag a rock over the entrance!" he commanded. Myu nodded, and the two raced outside. Cheza, on the other hand, simply looked at Visalia. "What is the matter, Flower Maiden?" Visalia asked.

"You remind this one of another old woman…who gave this one advice. She died not long after," Cheza whispered.

"I am sorry if I have returned troublesome memories," Visalia said.

"It is fine. Just as she gave this one the resolve to move on, so too are you filling in that role for Gideon," Cheza said.

Myu and Kiba raced back in, followed by a large rock that made a large crash as it blocked the entrance to Visalia's den. "There we go," Myu said.

"Now go," Visalia said.

"Goodbye, Grandmother. Say hello to everyone for me," Gideon said as Kiba led the way out of the tunnel.

"Be wary in the future, Gideon. I think that things will grow more difficult for you…" Visalia said. She breathed her last breath, and although the den was blocked, all of the travelers shuddered as a breeze from Visalia's spirit ruffled their fur.

"She saw more than most," Cheza said.

"She's always been like that. That's why I cared about my grandmother more than any other member of my family. Before Cheza, she was the person I went to for advice," Gideon said.

"Let's just hope that her passing wasn't in vain," Kiba said.

They moved on.

_Meanwhile…_

It was quiet. All was quiet as mourning soldiers bowed their heads in respect to the one in the coffin. As the general began to speak a few words and the soldiers looked at him, the general suddenly stiffened before crashing to the ground, facedown.

A soldier near the front rushed up to him and put his fingers to the general's throat before confirming what they all feared. "He's dead!" he screamed.

The soldiers were about to scream and cry in terror when a chilling wind passed, and they all froze up. The next moment, they all fell over, in the same fashion as the general. As they did, Bellicus's body rose up with his head bent back. He stumbled out of the lab.

Many people ran into the thing that should have been the corpse of their leader, and were about to scream, but before they could, they too fell dead right after they saw it. It had Bellicus's body, but the soul possessing it was certainly not his. Despite this, it headed towards Bellicus's lab.

Inside, the corpse looked around, finally spotting what it was looking for in a jar filed with formaldehyde. With uncharacteristic speed, it shuffled up to the jar and shattered it with a well-placed punch, ripping out its left eye in the meanwhile.

The reason? The thing inside the jar was a wolf's eye that Bellicus had found in a desolate region in the world. Wordlessly, the corpse of Bellicus shoved the eye into the socket where its left eye used to be. The eye quickly adjusted to the tendons and veins, and attached itself into Bellicus's left socket.

As soon as it did, black energy spewed out of Bellicus's body. For the first time since its reanimation, it screamed, despite the huge jagged tear in its throat. In the next few minutes, the corpse screamed itself raw.

After those moments, the energy slowly died down, and the corpse began to rearrange itself. What was once short hair became long hair. The body, once of rather middling height and rather wide build, became one of tall height and slim build. The face became more angled and handsome. A naïve woman looking at the face might have easily become smitten. Had Kiba looked at the face, however, he would have quailed in trepidation and fear, especially considering that it now held two wolf eyes.

The newly born human then revealed another surprise. It was an image. His true form was that of a wolf. A large, dark purple wolf. In this form, he raced through the mansion with astonishing speed, finally reaching the roof in a matter of minutes.

Thanks to the knowledge of the body he now possessed, the soul in the body was well aware that his two greatest enemies were in the mansion just a few hours ago, and he also knew that there were now two new animals helping them, two that were not wolves. He quavered in disgust at the very thought.

There would be no point in chasing them. They were probably long gone by now. Still, he turned his face up to the sky. "I thank you, servant, for leaving me with the status that you and I shared in our respective worlds. And as for you, white wolf…Cheza…I will find you and personally hunt you down. I will never forgive you for what you did to me…"

The dark wolf stalked off, his mind in pure anticipation of the hunt…and the kill.

**That will do. You can all probably guess who this dark wolf is. It's not too hard. **

**This will go on for a while. Just because my updates are few and far between doesn't mean I'll give up on this story. It will be at least twenty chapters. **

**Please leave a comment below. **


	12. Emotions of the White

**I wanted to get an update in before May was up, but I took too long. This story has around eight more chapters, give or take, to go before I finish it. Hopefully, that won't take too long. **

Cheza and Kiba had told Gideon and Myu about their prophesized destinies. Contrary to Kiba's misgivings, Gideon and Myu took the news without even a gasp. "That actually might explain a few things, like how we were drawn to Cheza's scent before and how we knew that song she sang," Gideon had said.

Now, they were heading in a vague direction that Cheza pointed at. According to her, the opening to Paradise was at the Tree of All Seeds once more, and Kiba desperately wanted to get there as quickly as he could. However, he was well aware that in order to get to Paradise, all life on the planet had to die. It always happened in his past lives. The last humans left alive were their enemies, and Kiba almost always died against them, not to mention his pack.

Speaking of his pack, ever since they he and Cheza had told Gideon and Myu that they were to help them find Paradise, he wondered if he was just leading them to their deaths. He wasn't looking for Paradise just for Cheza, or for Gideon and Myu, but because if he failed, he would let down all the packs that he had worked with. All sixteen wolves' lives…wasted in a single moment of failure.

"This area is where I met Gideon," Myu commented as they were running.

"I remember it all too well, especially considering the fact that a certain yearning drew me past Bellicus's mansion and that trash heap of a city again," Gideon agreed. He looked at Myu. "You forced me back down the path that I took, and now this journey taking in the direction I was originally headed."

"And where were you going?" Kiba asked.

"Nowhere, really. I didn't have a purpose. There were no wolverines left, as far as I knew. All I could really do was wander," Gideon said.

"It was the same with me. Just like him, I had to run," Myu said.

"Is your past…just like Gideon's? Your family is gone?" Cheza asked.

Myu stopped in her tracks, and the others did a second later. Gideon looked at Myu sadly as Kiba looked at her quizzically. "Ah, yes. You are the only member of this group whose past I don't know anything about. I understand if it's a painful past and you don't want to tell us," he said.

Myu shook her head. "It's fine. You would understand me better if I told you," she said.

"Then hold up. I find it easier to go through a story when we're eating. Luckily, I smell a carcass nearby. It's unfamiliar, though," Gideon said. Kiba gestured with his head for Gideon to take the lead, and the wolverine instantly raced off in a different direction, with the others following.

It didn't take long for them to reach the carcass of a musk ox. "There are still animals this big around?" Gideon asked as he circled the meat.

"Be careful, it may be poisoned," Kiba said.

"No. Look at these claw marks in its side and neck. This guy was killed by something big," Myu said.

"A bear. I would recognize those marks anywhere," Kiba growled, thinking of his former packmates Rystar and Denzi. They were not that old, not much older than pups, but they were still massacred by a bear. Kiba's claws gripped the ground tightly at the memory, and his eyes squeezed tightly shut, trying to hold back tears.

He felt a gentle touch at his shoulder, and he turned to see Cheza touching it with her muzzle. She looked up at him when he looked at her, and her eyes were flowing freely with tears. She was remembering Rystar and Denzi as well. Kiba draped his head and neck over her withers, providing whatever comfort he could.

They did not notice that Myu and Gideon were watching the entire time. Myu opened her mouth to say something, but Gideon put a paw on her shoulder, shaking his head when she turned to look at him. "They're probably remembering some bad memory about a bear. I wouldn't interrupt them. They will talk to us about it when they are ready. For now, let those two stay in their own world. They need it," Gideon murmured quietly.

Myu nodded in understanding, and she and Gideon began to eat. After the third swallowing of meat, Kiba and Cheza finally joined them. They both ate with more passion than usual, although Cheza still only took rather small nips of flesh. They ate in silence; the idea of Myu telling her story was all but forgotten now. No one wanted to think about the past at the moment.

None of them ate as much as they normally did; they didn't want to get too fat. With the red deer and the white-tailed deer that they had brought down since the journey started, not to mention the assortment of smaller prey, none of them were all that hungry. Therefore, they only stopped for a few minutes before heading off again.

Not one minute had passed before they heard an angry roar behind them. Gideon turned to see an enormous grizzly bear charging after them. "Guys, we've got company!" he growled.

The others turned around and quickly increased their pace after seeing the bear. However, Kiba stopped after a few seconds, turning around to face their pursuer. "Kiba, what are you doing?!" Myu cried. She, Gideon, and Cheza stopped, while Kiba ignored her as the bear stopped in its tracks a few feet in front of him.

"Why are you here?" the bear growled. It sounded female.

Kiba's tail was held straight out in an aggressive stance, and his fangs were bared. "That is no business of yours, bear," he snarled.

"This is my territory, wolf, and I will not tolerate any trespassers," the bear rumbled.

"That's too bad. You're going to have to live with us passing through here," Kiba said.

"Kiba, don't make her angry!" Gideon warned.

"I think it's too late for that," Kiba growled, before leaping at the bear. She reared up, but Kiba rammed her and knocked her off balance. When she landed on the ground, winded, Kiba was upon her chest, his claws raking it. She threw him off effortlessly.

"You made an error, wolf!" the bear roared as Kiba retreated. The bear let out a ferocious bellow as it hurled towards Kiba. Gideon raced in front of Kiba and snapped at the bear, keeping her at bay while Myu leapt up onto the bear's back and sank her fangs into the thickly furred body.

The bear roared and swatted Myu off her back as if she were little more than a fly. Myu managed to land on her feet and growled in defiance as the bear prepared to crush her comparatively tiny body with a slam of its paw. Cheza intervened, leaping onto the bear's rear from behind and sinking her teeth into her thigh. Now the bear roared in real pain as she kicked Cheza off. Kiba slid under her and broke her fall. She licked him once before they both leapt out of the way of a crashing paw.

Gideon snapped at the bear's legs, and struck more often than not. "Don't bother with the main body! We just want to drive her off, so go for the legs!" he suggested.

"You want to drive her off," Kiba growled before attacking the bear just as he did before. In other words, he pretty much ignored Gideon's suggestion.

"Idiot," Gideon growled before moving in to help Kiba. Myu was about to do the same when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. A patch of dark brown fur peeked out of a nearby bush. She glanced at the bear, who was effortlessly fending off both Kiba and Gideon. Cheza was darting around, looking for openings and snapping uncharacteristically viciously when she found one. Seeing the bear's obvious distraction, Myu moved towards a tree and climbed up to a high branch that faced the bushes.

What she saw made her realize what was wrong. The bear wasn't trying to kill them because they stole what could have been her food! "Gideon! Kiba! Cheza! Back off, all of you! She only wants to protect her cubs!" Myu cried.

The fighting began to falter as her packmates digested this new piece of information. They all leapt a good distance away from the bear. Their eyes turned to Myu, then back to the bear, who was now bleeding from several scratches and other rather minor wounds, but nothing that she could not recover naturally from.

"If that's the case, then we really should leave. Despite our intentions, we are a threat, and she wants us out," Gideon said. He, at least, was willing to back off.

Kiba, on the other hand, still wanted to fight, but Myu leapt down and glared at him. "We've had our meal with that musk ox, Kiba. There's no point in hunting her cubs. I don't care what a bear did to you in the past. Killing young without eating them is murder," she said.

"Just as what that bear did…was murder," Kiba growled, before stalking off. Cheza was quickly at his side, walking next to him and whispering into his ear.

Myu turned back to the mother bear. "We will leave, as you wish," she said. Then, she and Gideon turned to follow Kiba.

When the mother bear was out of sight, Gideon and Myu began to run. Kiba and Cheza were very fast, faster than both of them, but their scent was very easy to follow, especially considering the fact that Cheza smelled like flowers. Before long, the scent of bear was gone, meaning that they were out of her territory.

Gideon and Myu soon located Kiba and Cheza from a high ridge overlooking a grassy field, where the two wolves were. It was what the two wolves were doing that surprised the newcomers.

Kiba and Cheza were running around, laughing as if they didn't have a care in the world. As Gideon and Myu watched, the two wolves wrestled, licked each other, ran, danced, and even howled like they were innocent pups instead of wolves trying to find Paradise.

"Th…they're _frolicking_?! They have to save the world for the sake of their packmates and themselves, and they're _frolicking?!_" Gideon exclaimed incredulously.

"Maybe there's something in the field that makes them act this way?" Myu suggested.

"I doubt it. I don't know about the abilities of a flower maiden, but Cheza, if not both of them, would probably be able to detect something like that," Gideon said.

"We should take a closer look," Myu said. Gideon nodded, and they prowled down the path from the ridge to the field. Despite the fact that Gideon was sure that there were no human traps, he and Myu still kept their guard up.

It turned that there was nothing to fear. Gideon and Myu treaded to Kiba and Cheza without hindrance or issue. Kiba and Cheza seemed to be of their correct minds, judging from the serious tone that returned to Kiba's voice when he noticed Gideon and Myu. "You guys took long enough," he said.

"You guys were _frolicking!_" Gideon exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"Is that so wrong?" Cheza asked.

"Are you two all right? I know something must have happened in one of your past lives with a bear," Myu asked.

Kiba and Cheza exchanged glances. "I'm sorry, all of you. I couldn't contain my rage at that bear. Rystar and Denzi…they were just pups when a bear killed them, and I've never liked bears since," he said.

"All of our packmates died in some way. It has…been troubling this one greatly. Although you two were prophesized, this one cannot help but feel that we are merely dragging to your ends. And yet you still want to help us?" Cheza asked.

Gideon looked at them. "You have to ask? If we didn't help you, our lives would be wastes in this world. We would be just like those guys back in that trash heap animal city, scrabbling around like insects. By helping you, we're not wasting our lives," he said.

"I want to see what Paradise is like. When I first met you, Kiba, we were in a false Paradise. I think that such a place could never compare to the real thing. So I will try to get as close to it as I can," Myu said. As she talked, Kiba glanced at Gideon, but the wolverine didn't look surprised when Myu mentioned a time before this. She must have told him already, otherwise he just didn't care.

"If that's the only question you have, I'll leave you alone for now. I'll be at the other edge of the field, ready to move on. You coming, Myu?" Gideon looked at her. Myu nodded, and the two animals leapt towards the forest at the other edge.

"They are steadfast companions," Kiba remarked.

"This one agrees, but this one still feels uneasy about bringing them. This one has had a certain sense of foreboding ever since we left Bellicus's mansion," Cheza said, lying down.

Kiba lay down beside her. "No matter what, I will find Paradise this time. I can't fail again. I will find Paradise for you, Tsume, Toboe, Blue, Hige, Aidan, Beria, Opal, Lapis, Arnan, Cyril, Rystar, Denzi, Ryuga, Shinji, Kurou, and Kirsi. And for Gideon and Myu as well," he said, reciting all the names of the packmates of eons.

Cheza rubbed her cheek against his. "But you must find it for yourself, too, Kiba. Out of all of us, you deserve to be happy. You have gone through too many trials for it all to not count. This one will always choose you as this one's wolf. We will succeed this time, with a smaller, but no less powerful, pack. This one just has a feeling," she said.

Kiba licked her. "I haven't experienced the pain you've probably felt, and can only imagine it, Cheza. But…you know how I feel, don't you? Your song puts wolves to sleep and lets them dream about where they are or will be happiest. And yet no dreams come to me when you sing around me. It's because the times when I'm happiest is when you're by my side," he murmured.

Cheza turned her red eyes on him and simply stared. He stared back, waiting for a response. After a few moments, her eyes closed and she pressed her muzzle against his in an impromptu kiss. Her body was warm against his, and the emotions that he felt while touching her were warm and made his heart beat.

After what seemed like hours, she pulled away. It was now nighttime, and a full moon was rising. As it did, Kiba's eyes lit up as Cheza glowed, her light pink fur seemingly becoming dotted with pinpricks of light. She had never looked more beautiful, more radiant, than in that moment as she faced him.

"I love you, Cheza," Kiba whispered. Cheza's eyes glowed and she pressed her cheek to his.

"This one loves you as well, Kiba. But we cannot truly be together, until we find Paradise. You know this to be true," Cheza whispered.

"You are right. Such a relationship would only hinder us. So for now, I'll be happy just with you at my side," Kiba murmured, draping his head over hers. Cheza smiled.

For the rest of the night, the two wolves took pleasure in each other's company. When Gideon and Myu went to check on them, they were already asleep together. The wolverine and the caracal looked at each other, very glad for their friends. And though Myu was still a little jealous, those feelings were now overwhelmed for the ones that she had for the animal that had saved her life.

**I find that my motivation increases when I write fighting and romantic scenes, so I put them both together in this one chapter. **

**But good things are not meant to last. For a dark force from the past has returned to confront his old enemies, and there are dangers in this world as well. So what will happen? **

**Leave a comment below if you so wish. **


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